Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1935. THE ABYSSINIAN CRISIS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 293, 24 September 1935, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1935. THE ABYSSINIAN CRISIS.

The rejection by Italy of the terms formulated by the Committee of Conciliation intensifies the crisis that threatens the peace of Europe. The committee submitted to Italy and Abyssinia, as a basis of settlement of the dispute, a far-reaching scheme for the reorganisation of Abyssinia, including six major points as follow: Special police to provide security for foreigners: frontier police to prevent slave traffic, plunder, and smuggling; steps to allow foreigners to participate in . the economic development of the land and ownership of industrial enterprises; plans for public works and reorganisation of post and telegraph communications; State Budget control of expenditure and a proper system of tax collection; reorganisation of both mixed and native Courts and the public health and education services. As Italy’s claims were largely based on the plea that Abyssinia had proved incapable of governing herself, the proposals of the committee were endorsed by all members of the League, while Britain, and, especially, France, urged acceptance. But unfortunately, adhering to his previous announcements Signor Mussolini has presented counter-proposals, which would in effect make Ethiopia dependent on Italy. These counter-proposals provide for the linking of Eritrea and Italian Somaliland by the cession to Italy of a large section of Abyssinian territory; an Abyssinian outlet to the sea shall be a corridor through Italian territory; and demobilisation of the majority of the Abyssinian army and the remainder placed under Italian officers. The impasse diminishes the hope that a conflict may be avoided, for it is difficult to imagine that jhe Italian Government has the slightest intention of relinquishing the purpose for which it has made so much military preparation at vast expense. The cost of hostilities will, however, render what has already been involved small in comparison. If Italy has a desire to avenge the past, the utter disaster which befell her arms in the Battle of Adowa at the hands of the victorious Menelik ir 1896, when a peace was signed conditional on the payment of an Italian indemnity and frank recognition of Abyssinia’s "absolute independence,” she has also some reason to give heed to its lesson. The realm of the Ethiopian Emperor, a reformer with a difficult problem before him m the racial diversities of his ten million subjects, has not even yet been tuliv explored. Its ruling race is described as a proud and warlike people of high intelligence, and should it find itself confronted with an invader the advantage would be with it, as in the-past, of a difficult terrain and the natural defensive fastnesses of the country.