BEFORE THE BREAK

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 243, 14 October 1935, Page 10

BEFORE THE BREAK

LOYALTY TO EMPEROR. ETHIOPIA'S PATRIOTS. FRONTIER SPARK FEARS. (By LAURENCE STALLINGS.) ADDIS ABABA, September 9. The Italian Legation yesterday took a very significant step. In spite of the Five-Power conference which is debating Ethiopian affairs in Geneva, Count Vinci, the Italian Minister, gave permission to such of the Consular stall of Italy as is stationed in the provincial towns of Ethiopia to withdraw should these officials desire to do so. Eleven of them availed themselves of this permission; two at Magalo, three at Adowa, three at Gondar, one at Debre Markos and two at Dessia. I A significant preparation for war is the fact that the Swedish instructors at the Artillery School 30 miles from the capital are sending their wives and children out of the country. Four French army afiicers are about to begin the organisation of a police force to guard the railway and to protect foreigners. The force will have its headquarters at Dire Dawa, on the Djibuti railway line. The senior of these officers is Major Durieux, and he and his three colleagues had a conference with the Emperor yesterday. An incident which I believe has never occurred before was witnessed yesterday at the time when the Emperor was returning to the palace from the Coptic Cathedral where he had attended divine service. A crowd of Moslem merchants lined the route from the church to the palace loudly cheering His Majesty. Around the church were gathered bands of warriors from the Abyssinian hinterland, wild-looking fellows, but all of them Christians. They were singing and cheering, accompanied by a battery of drums and cymbals. Hopes That Were Dashed. In spite of the warlike fever in this country and the obvious Italian preparations on the other side of the frontier, there are still those here who believe that the present dangerous crisis may be solved by tlie adoption of the three traditional spheres of influence in Abyssinia —namely, French, British and Italian spheres. lam mentioning the existence of these views for the purpose of record. A number of foreign advisers, including the American, Mr. Everett Colson, of the Abyssinian Government who have been spending a few well-earned days of rest at a lake resort not far from the capital, have been recalled over the week-end. Owing, no doubt, to the congestion caused by the movement of troops, foreigners have not been allowed to use the last three bi-weekly trains on the Addis Ababa-Djibuti railway, and this has caused a certain amount of discomfort, though the reason for the prohibition can be readily understood. The whole world is watching tne Italian armies strung out along the Red Sea, but little is heard of the Ethiopian troops, primitive men, who in largfc quantities, or at all events in quantities largo for Abyssinia, have been put to guard°the frontiers. Stationed week after week on the border with little nothing to do, these men through inaction run the risk of losing morale. This danger is a serious one from the Abyssinian point of view. But a greater danger in international eye 3 lies in the possibility that these troops, whose control "from Addis Ababa is only plight, may make an attack on the Italians facing them before they can be restrained. Shortage of Foodstuffs. The exodus of civilians from Addis Ababa continues, in spite of all that the Abyssinian Government may do to persuade them to remain. Commodities are becoming scarce, due to the fact that people have taken to hoarding rice, dry fruits and flour. The Government has sent messengers to the Gallas and other remote tribes asking them to sell the greatest possible quantities of foodstuffs 0 to the Abyssinian troops stationed on the frontiers. It must be recorded that these men are not well supplied and, moreover, they are improvident by nature. Column upon column of Ethiopia--troops can bo seen passing through and just outside the capital, and it would seem to be the policy of the Emperor to let Addis Ababa see as many if these soldiers as possible so as to let it-be understood that the whole Ethiopian nation is involved in the defence of the country. The soldiers, who are pouring through the outskirts of the capital, present a difficult problem as regards transport. They are kept to-

gcther as far as possible and collected near the railway line, where they are put into trains and thus cleared away from the region of Addis Ababa to make room for more men. ' From the far south on the Kenya border reports are reaching us that the tribesmen are displaying a warlikespirit in defence of tlie country. Emperor Cool and Cheerful. The general feeling here is that the Powers are incapable of averting war and the Negus would have been at the front with his troops but far the fact that he feels that the League of ' Nations considers his presence necessary 1 at Addis Ababa while negotiations are still proceeding in Geneva. There is an impression here that 1 trouble, when it does begin, will start on the Soriialiland frontier, and heavy J supplies of mules and camels are being sent by rail towards that region, as it . is utterly impossible during the present 1 rainy season to move them otherwise. To sum up, I can say that the whole i nation is willing to go to war and is s chafing at the present inaction. It ' cannot tolerate the menace of the Italians much longer. , Yesterday I went to the palace with . Mr. Engert, the U.S. charge d'affaires, who was received in audience by the Negus, to whom he gave notice of the Withdrawal of the Development and Exploration Corporation from the con- 11 cession which had been granted to it by the Ethiopian Government. I saw the Emperor, who gave me the impression of being cool and cheerful in a time of trial. — (N.A.N.A.)