Casino War

The ornate and sumptuous new Casino at San Remo, Italian Riviera, has sprung rapidly into smart, international favor, since it was recently authorized by Signor Benito Mussolini as the sole resort in Italy where roulette wheels may twirl (TIME, Feb. 20).

Up to last week the nightly procession of limousines purring into San Remo from Monte Carlo and the neighboring French resorts of Nice and Cannes was such as to fairly discourage municipal casino officials at those resorts. What to do?

French intelligence solved the problem by an announcement that a "midnight storm" had washed away a section of the one comfortable motor road connecting the French resorts with San Remo. Next day French artisans were busy repairing the stretch of road with such vigor that for long it will be impassible. Italians wrathfully and truthfully declared that there had been no storm. High play at San Remo fell, at least temporarily, to low.