“LONGING EYES.”

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 236, 5 October 1935, Page 10

“LONGING EYES.”

ITALY ON ABYSSINIA. A FIFTY YEARS’ GRUDGE. STORY OF WALWAL WELLS. There are perhaps live reasons why nations should wish to secure colonics, why, in fact they did strive for them in the closing decades of last century. These reasons are moral, sentimental, military, the settling of people and economic. 'the first is liest described, perhaps as Kiplings "white mans burden”; the second concerns the prestige accruing to the nation with an Empire; the third concerns the acquiring of territory in order to protect territory already acquired; the last two are self-explanatory. The aims of Italy in Ethiopia jvould seem to inelude all of the four, according to an article contributed to the July issue of “Current History,” by Ignatius Phayre, one who has met the principal personages on both sides, Benito Mussolini and the Empeioi Haile Silassie.

For over 50 years Italy had been looking with longing eyes upon the land of Ethiopia. ’The tropic store house of coal and iron and copper ami grain was what Italy needed for a poor soil, a teeming population and scanty outlet for her unbounded national energy. \\ hat Mussolini had done for his country both spiritually and materially was a miracle, said Mr. Phayre; but that was not enough. Abyssinia an Archaic Land. “An archaic land is Abyssinia,” says Mr. Phayre, “where society is based on chattel slavery, where roads and bridges do not exist,'and where, outside a few scattered towns, rock salt passes as money. A forgotten Christian polity is here, trailing away to African savagery in the lowlands. . . . So Italy adds to other pleas for a free hand in Abyssinia her mission as an agent of our common civilisation in the last stronghold of African negation. Her voice on this score is very loud, while Addis Ababa s is scarcely heard at all. It is like the tinkling of a cow bell beside skilled radio broadcasters whose news covers the whole earth.”

Vengeance for the colonial disaster of Adowa, ho added, was another live motive. “Adowa” was chalked on the troop trains at Messina and Naples during the recent mobilisation. When Mr. Phayre speaks of the famous incident at the Walwal Wells, he leaves no doubt as to whom was the aggressor. An Italian force, he said, opened fire without a moment’s warning with tanks and aircraft in support, upon the Joint Commission’s escort at the wells. At the moment of onset the Abyssinians were in their tents or grazing their horses on the plain. All told Abyssinia’s killed were 107 men and 45 others wounded. There were five British witnesses; and the report of their commissioner, Lieut.-Colonel E. H. AL Clifford, of the Royal Engineers, is conclusive as to the origin of an affair that has had so many complications. Both Clifford and his Abyssinian colleague were astonished to find their way barred by an Italian force “armed with modern rifles.” The British mission thereupon hoisted its flag and a joint letter was sent to the Italians at Wardair, which is not far away from Walwal, “protesting against aggressive opposition of the Italians in Abyssinian territory.” Unconciliatory Italian Attitude. The British mission, Colonel Clifford wont on to say, made every effort to arrive at an equitable solution, but was constantly thwarted by the unconciliiitory and disobliging attitude of the Italian officer. This might be judged from his remarks, several times repeated, “Take it or leave it,” and also by the threat that in case of refusal he would send for several hundred soldiers. The Abyssinian colleague of Captain Clifford asked how such conduct agreed with the Italo-Abyssinian treaty of amity and conciliation, of August 2, 1928. Several truculent letters were written by the Italian officer and this wns followed by the dropping of five bombs by Italian aeroplanes on the Boundary Mission's luggage at Ado, also near Walwal. News of the tragedy was sent to Addis Ababa, to the Palace Chamberlain and Foreign Minister. To nim also promptly came the Italian Charge d’Affaires, with a very different version that, “Armed Abyssinians- have attacked us without warning, and in force.”

Then followed correspondence, in the course of which the Italians’ conduct was stated to be “quite correct,” and that there could be no doubt the Walwal and Wardair belonged to Italian Somaliland. Next came demands and terms of a “formal apology and reparations commensurate with the serious losses and damages we have sustained.” The Abyssinian Minister then proposed an “arbital tribunal” to settle the matter in the interests of the two countries. When the Italians sharply declined, for the first time Abyssinia communicated with the League of Nations. Italian Encroachment. In regard to the boundary dispute, Mr. Phayre says that the facts are undeniable. Walwal and Wardair, as the iprime- cause for conflict, were well within the Abyssinian zone. As such they were recognised by Italy in 1897, and formally embodied in Article IV of the treaty of May 16, 1908. The actual boundary line was never delimited so tho “gradual encroachment” of the Emperor’s complaint became a matter of course, with Italian roads, fortified posts and radio stations pushed by degrees into undoubted Abyssinian territory. Walwal and Wardair lay 240 miles from the coast in the Somali Ogaden. Yet article IV of the 1908 Italo-Abyssinian pact distinctly said that the whole of Ogaden should remain a dependency of Abyssinia. There is not much room for humour when .a war is at hand. With the entire approval of the Italian press Mussolini makes preparations for the mobilisation of thousands of troops, and the transport of engines of war. Yet the same Press protests in bitter terms against “tho mad war preparations of the Abyssinians.” In a few weeks the tremendous total of 10.000 Mausers. 200 machine guns and 2,000,000 cartridges were delivered to them. The same Italian Press was proud to announce that Mussolini, if necessary, could raise 10,000,000 fighting men. Furthermore, the preamble to the tripartite pact of December 13. 1906. stated that the common interest of. Prance, Britain and Italy was to main-| tain intact the territorial integrity of i Abyssinia; and in any event none of the three Governments should intervene | in any way whatever except after a j joint, understanding. Mr. Phayre a-'ds that there is much of the MazziniGaribaldi dash about. Mussolini; but no Cavour was near to advise a path of I 1 prudence. •