MUSSOLINI BENITO: (1883-1945) Italian Fascist Dictator of World War II. A good T.L.S., Mussolini, in his capacity as President of the Supreme Defence Commission, three pages, 4to, Rome, 14^th August 1927, addressed to the representatives of the Ministries of the Interior, Finance, War, Navy, Air Force, Public Works, and Communications, in Italian, marked Strictly Confidential. Mussolini states that the Defence Commission has examined the issue of territorial anti-aircraft defence, in particular relating to the preparation of ground vehicles, and has decided that arrangements of a protective nature, including masks, alarms, shelters, anti-gas and anti-fire defences etc., should be entrusted to the civil authorities, although under the direction and supervision of the military authorities. Mussolini continues to add that it is appropriate that the matter should now be studied and defined, with plans for preparation and organisation, so that any action 'can come into operation, at the time of need, with the immediacy that is required by the particular form of air strikes', and that a programme of propaganda should be started in order to inform the country of the need for defence, as well as discipline and order, and finally recommending that a special commission should be set up with representatives from each of the ministries, as well as the director of the Military Chemical centre for matters relating to poisonous gases, a representative of the Ministry of Education in order for propaganda to be carried out through schools and a representative of the Italian Red Cross. Some very light, extremely minimal age wear, VG