TERRIBLE DAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 69, 23 March 1937, Page 7

TERRIBLE DAYS.

ITALIAN KILLING.

Flower of Ethiopian Intellect

Cut Down.

COLLECTIVE VENGEANCE.

United Press Association.—Copyright.

(Received 12 noon.) LONDON - , March 22.

The Abyssinian Legation in London has issued an announcement regarding the incident in Addis Ababa on February 23, when it is alleged that nearly 6000 natives were slain by Italians following a bomb outrage, in which the Viceroy, Marshal Graziani, was injured.

The communique states:—"Some of the fine flower of Ethiopia's enlightened intellectuals was butchered during three terrible days in the Addis Ababa massacre, which was perpetrated by orders of the Italian authorities to wreak collective vengeance and uproot all hopes of the Ethiopian people.

"Among those slain were Fekade Silassie, son of the Foreign Minister, Blatingheta Herouy, also Joseph and Benjamin Martin, sons of the Ethiopian Minister in London. These three had studied in England."

News of the death of his two sons has deepened Dr. Martin's anxiety for the safety of his wife and five daughters, and his eldest son, all of whom were in Addis Ababa at the time of the massacre. They were known to be safe before the massacre, but there has been no news since. Dr. Martin earliei/ warned his sons Joseph and Benjamin to prepare to escape across the border if necessary. They replied that they would never leave Abyssinia.