Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, MARCH 9, 1936. BOMBING THE RED CROSS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 125, 9 March 1936, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, MARCH 9, 1936. BOMBING THE RED CROSS.

The bombing of the British Red Cross unit in Abyssinia will confirm the opinion, expressed when a similar attack was made on a Swedish unit early in January, that the Italians are engaged upon a policy of frightfulness. It is difficult to understand, at this lime, the attitude of the Italians, who might be considered to be desirous of conciliating the Powers when the question of oil sanctions is in the balance. At one time there were signs of a developing Italian sensitiveness to the opinion of the world, but it has not yet reached the point of regarding it with due respect. Can it be that the Italians know their Abyssinian adventure is doomed to failure in any event and that they are now concerned only with inflicting as much destruction and spreading as much fear and consternation as possible before the end? The official statement has been made in Italy to the effect that the bombing was a reprisal, in ignorance of the character of the encampment. The tone of the statement is callously cynical and flippant. It is asserted that the British Ambassador only that day informed the Government in Rome that the ambulance had been removed to Quoram a week ago, thus there was not time j;o notify the military authorities, who had not supposed an ambulance to be in the vicinity. To this the British Foreign Office gives an emphatic denial, saying that the Italian Government was informed of the change of locale at the end of January. To-day the insincerity of the explanation is revealed and its inhumanity emphasised by the news that the unit has again been attacked. Actions such as the Italians have committed carry their own condemnation. The reprisal excuse merely adds to the guilt admitted. it >s true, are of the essence of war; but, even if Italy’s attempt to subdue Abyssinia were the most righteous war conceivable,. to bomb a Red Cross station is outside all limits of decency. When the whole world was shocked at the news of the bombing of the Swedish unit, the Italian press sought justification by alleging that the Abyssinians were not entitled to the full benefit of the international rules of war, as they committed abominable atrocities. Quite probably, there have been excesses on both sides. At all events, an American doctor, returning from Abyssinia to the United States not long ago, had some harsh things to say of the brutality of the Italians. Yet his recital, revealing as it was in first-hand and credible information, had nothing in it so bad as this episode of recklessness, supposing it to be no more than that. Abyssinians, whatever the level of their own culture, may well ask to be saved from a “civilising" purpose in which care tor the sick and wounded is not strong enough to prevent the loosing of indiscriminate death. When the whole story is known—if it ever can be—its central fact will shamefully survive any apology based on details now obscure.