A fluffy lion cub crouched, speed-stunned in Signer Mussolini's lap as the Dictator stepped upon the throttle of his racing car and sped toward Rome. That was in 1923. Provincial admirers had bestowed the beast. As she grew into a sleek young lioness, the Duce, intrigued, named her Italia Bella. He is wont to enter her iron barred cage crooning "Italia Mia, . . ." and only twice has she scratched him (TIME, July 12). Recently her sleek flanks grew pendulous. The Fascist press began exultantly to refer to her as Sultana, Italia,...
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