ARMED FORCES MARK TIME ON FRONTIER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 231, 1 October 1935, Page 7

ARMED FORCES MARK TIME ON FRONTIER.

WATCHFUL WAITING.

Italy Trying to Provoke the Abyssinians? BOTH SIDES APPREHENSIVE. United l'rcss Association.—Copyright. (Received 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 30. From the conflicting rumours regarding the nearer approach of hostilities, the fact emerges, that apart from the strengthening of existing garrisons, particularly on the frontier lines, both sides are more or less apprehensively marking time. Italy has mobilised 30,000 additional men, a portion of which will be devoted to manning several hundred of the new tanks, but Italian movements on the borders of Abyssinia, which sensationalists interpret as the prelude to an immediate outbreak of hostilities, merely amount to consolidation of the forces occupying the bases in Assab, Asmara and Ualual. None of tlieso movements, in view of the indefinite, character of the frontier, can be characterised as actual invasion. They are at the most, even in Abyssinian eyes, a campaign of provocation in the hope of inducing the Abyssinians to assume tlio initiative and attack the Italians, thereby placing Haile Silassie in the wrong. Kas Kassa, the "Grand Old Man of the North," awaits the Italian attack with calm dignity. His armies muster 250,000 eager warriors, the majority of whom are skilled horsemen. Has Kassa, who is an experienced strategist in savage warfare, is preparing for a campaign lasting two or three years. He is laying in ample supplies of food in underground storages.

Ho is sufficiently up to date to employ a twice-weekly aeroplane service keeping him in touch with Haile Silassie, who has given him a free hand to conduct the northern campaign.

For what it is worth, Abyssinia has received a pledge of support from the Arabs inhabiting the mountains east of the Red Sea.

ITALY'S ERROR. Boys for the Front Unsuitably Dressed. SIR W. BIRDWOOD'S VIEW. (Received 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, September 30. Field-Marshal Sir William Birdwood, addressing ex-servicemen at Wisbech, Cambridge, declared that a few weeks ago he saw six Italian troopships at Port Said. Ho was struck by the extraordinary youthfulness of the soldiers, who were all boys of from 18 to 10 years of age. They were unsuitably clad in thick woollen coats, indicating that Italy had not fully considered the needs of an Abyssinian campaign. "It seems Signor Mussolini is determined to fight whatever happens," said Sir William. "The last thing we want is to bo involved in war but we bitterly regret any nation breaking from the Covenant." THE RUIN OF WAR. ABYSSINIA'S COST TO ITALY. (Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 30. The "Daily Herald" asserts that the latest Italian figures show that her Abvssinian adventure is bringing ruin j with it. Trade production and revenues , are declining, and her expenditure and cost of living rising. LONG, LONG TRAIL. JOURNEY TOR OBSERVERS. (Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, September 30. The "Daily Mail" Addis Ababa correspondent throws a new light on the League's project of sending observers to Abyssinia, by pointing out that could not land at Massawa, Eritrea, and must travel from Jibouti to Addis Ababa, thence to the frontier by caravan, occupying ten weeks to reach Adowa. AMUSING SIDELIGHT. U.S. MILLIONAIRE'S ZEST. (Received 1 p.m.) ROME, September 30. An amusing side issue is the expulsion from Italy of James Donoghue, the American millionaire and a cousin of Barbara Hutton, now Countess Haugwitz Reventlow, because he leaned out of a balcony and cried, "Long live Abyssinia." Count and Countess Keventlow hastened to dissociate themselves from the incident. DEBTS TO BELGIUM. d NON-PAYMENT BY ITALY. LONDON, September 30. "The Times" says that Belgium is protesting against Italy's obstruction of | payments for Belgian coal, and the Director of Commercial Agreements is going to Rome to attempt to secure a settlement. RUMANIA'S CLAIM. IMMEDIATE SETTLEMENT. BUCHAREST, September 30. Rumania,/which hitherto has been „ne of Italy's Chief sources of oil and l»s informpi Italy tlmt .«ppl£ Will be stopped on Octobei - unless the debt owing for these expo , £1,250,000, is pa" l *