ETHIOPIA STIRS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 302, 4 October 1935, Page 5

ETHIOPIA STIRS

DRUM SOUNDS THE ALARM. THE EMPEROR’S CALL TO ARMS. ‘NOTHING WILL STOP WARRIORS’ I (Received This Day, 11.45 a.m.) ADDIS ABABA, October 3. The thunderous yoice of Abyssinia’s centuries-old Nazarit Drum, a gigantic lion-skin instrument, which initiates the war alarm, carrying messages to other drums through Ethiopia, aroused the people twice to-day • first, when it proclaimed; general mobilisation in response to Italy’s unheralded offensive, and, secondly, of the end of the Emperor’s proclamation, when iit sounded' thrice reiterating Haili Selassie’s injunction, “Arise, take up arms; repel the invader.” The boom of the war drum caused excited crowds to assemble at the palace calling on the Emperor to show himself to his people. Eventually His Majesty appeared on the balcony and warned bis hearers that there would be a serious conflict but nothing would stop his warriors. When God granted victory his soldiers would be given Eritrea and Italian /Somaliland as recompense for their services. The Emperor’s proclamation declared that Italy, renouncing her signatures to the League Covenant and the Italo-Abyssinian Treaty, stultifying all international agreements, especially the pact renouncing war, was prepared for the second time to violate Abyssinia, causing revulsion of world opinion. The Emperor added:

“The hour is grave. Arise, everyone, take up arms and rush to the defence of your country; rally round your chiefs; obey -them single-heartedly; repel the invader. Those unable owing to infirmity and weakness to actively share in the sacred quarrel must help with prayers. God ho with us. hoi ward, all, for Emperor and country.”