A HOLY WAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 203, 28 August 1935, Page 7

A HOLY WAR.

COMING CAMPAIGN. Priests in Abyssinia Lend Assistance. ITALY'S PLAN OF ATTACK. (United P.A.— Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 32.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 27. A message from Addis Ababa states that cavalry are speeding arms and ammunition to the southern army. Reserves of munitions, hidden since the battle of Adowa, but of doubtful value, are now emerging from caves hewn into rocks and _ from churches, with the permission of priests, who regard the coming campaign as a holy war. The Government is removing merchants' petrol stocks to underground shelter. The largest possible mechanised force is concentrating in Ogaden, totalling about 140 motor lorries. Sir Percival Phillips, in a message from Addis Ababa, states that 100 natives, influenced by a provisional notice of evacuation, arc returning to the country. The Government has rounded up the city's idlers and drafted them into the Ogaden Army. Arms and ammunition from the Palace depot were issued almost furtively last night to troops outside the city to avoid alarming the populace. The "Daily Mail" Rome correspondent says that as the end of the rainy season in Abyssinia approaches Italy is speeding up the dispatch of troops to East Africa. Two thousand more soldiers sailed from Naples yesterday. All pleasure cruises from Italian ports have been stopped, so as to enable more vessels to be available. The "News-Chronicle" Addis Ababa correspondent states that if the League of Nations fails to avert war it is believed Italy's attack will start with a mass air raid on Addis Ababa, beginning at 0 a.m. and continuing all day. The first relays of Italian aeroplanes probably would approach the capital under cover of darkness. At Port Said, 2000 Italian residents, 1000 from Cairo, and 500 from Alexandria, enthusiastically cheered the arrival of Vittorio and Bruno Mussolini aboard the Saturnia, which motor cars will escort along the eanai.

TO JOIN ETHIOPS. • ■ Somalis Cross Frontier With Stolen Arms. UNDER TURKISH COMMANDER. (Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 27. The '''Daily Express" Addis Ababa correspondent asserts that 3000 Somalis have stolen enough arms for a force of 9000 and crossed the frontier to Ogaden. The Italian Consul handed .a Note to the Emperor requesting the return of the arms, but Haile Silassie disclaimed all knowledge of the incident. The Somalis are understood to be making for Harrar with the intention of joining the Abyssinians under a Turkish commander, Wahib Pasha Muslim. Feudal barons, In an audience with the Emperor, demanded direct action against the Italians.

ACTUAL CONDITIONS. Live Shells and Ball Cartridge In Army Manoeuvres. IL DUCE ADMITS DANGER. LONDON, August 27. Mr. G. Ward Price, special correspondent of the "Daily Mail," is attached to Signor Mussolini's personal staff during the military manoeuvres at Bolzano. In a message from Verona, Mr. Price reveals the fact that infantry advances are being made behind a "creeping barrage" of live shells and machine-guns firing ball cartridges. This, obviously, is dangerous, says the correspondent, but Signor Mussolini emphasises that it is necessary to accustom the soldiers to real war conditions.

APPEAL OF CHURCHES. JOINT CALL FOR PRAYER. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 3 2.30 p.m.) / RUGBY, August 27. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the Federation of Evangelical Free Churches have >sucd a joint call for prayer in connection with the Italo-Abyssinian dispute. They refer to the fateful meeting of the League Council on September 4 and declare that the grave issues with which jt has to deal, concern not only the possibility of war between Italy and Abyssinia, with all the consequences which may follow from it, but also the continuance of the League itself as an effective instrument of international peace and order, and the alternative to international anarchy. They ask that on next Sunday prayers may be offered in all churches throughout the'country that the "spirit of God may give wisdom and courage to members of the Council so tlyit by their action even now war may be averted, and in any event the cause of justice and respect for treaties may be vindicated."

BRITISH PRINCE'S VISIT. ITALIAN WARSHIP AT CANNES. (Received 1.30 p.m.) CANNES, August 27. The Prince of Wales, who is holidaying here, boarded English, French and Italian warships in the harbour. He spent 40 minutes on the Italian destroyer Bianchi and drank with the officers in the wardroom.