DRUMS WILL SUMMON WARRIORS TO ACTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 231, 30 September 1935, Page 7

DRUMS WILL SUMMON WARRIORS TO ACTION.

ETHIOPIA'S TRIBES.

Mobilisation With Quaint

Native Ceremony.

DISPOSITION OF TROOPS

United Press Association. —Copyright.

(Received 1 p.in.)

LONDON, September 29,

"Tlio Times" Addis Ababa correspondent, in a copyright message, discloses that the Abyssinian delegation at Geneva telegraphed to the Emperor confirming the previous opinion that war was imminent. The Emperor then ordered provincial mobilisation confined to the frontiers without disturbing the central provinces.

A mobilisation centrc is necessary bccause it takes 20 days for troops to take lip support positions behind the northern frontier troops' front line.

Tho troops have been well placed for some time, but difficulties of- supplies prevented the dispatch, until tlie last moment, of tho troops to Torni tlio second lino which must be extremely strong. Moreover general mobilisation will be necessary before a levy of the national forces is made.

Therefore, when mobilisation lias begun, probably next week, it will be carried out with tho highest ceremony.

It will be heralded by the Royal drums of lion skin, each of which is four men's burden. Tho twin drums of Ras Kassa of Gondar, who is nearest the Throne, will take up the summons, communicating it on tho great single drums of tho provincial commanders, until every drum in Ethiopia is rolling the order to notify the warlike peasants in the remotest provinces, who are still unaware that war is afoot, that their country's hour has come. Major Dotliee, chief of the Belgian military mission, has resigned. General Vergin, Haile Silassie's Swedish adviser, is departing on account of illness. Pitched Battle Avoided. It is reported from Addis Ababa that tlie Abyssinians are planning to concentrate 000 soldiers to every three square miles of threatened territory. This will deprive the Italians of the possibility of a pitched battle. Meanwhile, fIOOO additional troops, comprising the Ran Sasso Division under tho Duke of Bergamo, cousin of King Victor Emmanuel, have sailed from Taranto bringing the past 10 days' total to 50,000. The Italian Foreign Office spokesman, referring to Haile Silassie's threat to mobilise, pointed out that Abyssinia is always in a virtual state of mobilisation," the Abyssinians having for many years massed troops 011 the border of Eritrea and Italian Somaliland.

An early outbreak of hostilities would favour Italy because tho water-holes are full and the Abyssinians are undernourished. Moreover, war would prevent a full harvest.