ITALY AND ABYSSINIA

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21775, 6 May 1936, Page 8

ITALY AND ABYSSINIA

TO TBI EDITOR OF TH« PRESS. Sir, —Your leading article gives but a very poor idea of the problems and troubles which are facing poor Italy through this awful Abyssinian military adventure which our blackshirted Caliban had been plotting for years. I can say that this war has been a boon to Europe, as Mussolini was looking-for troubles in order to

build up his lost prestige, and if he had not gone to Abyssinia he would have surely marched on helpless Austria, when Hitler marched on Cologne. The fact is that Mussolini hates Hitler with the fervour of a fanatic. To every Italian boy, Hitler is a monster, a killer of Jews, and the incendiarist of the Reichstag!

There is a true proverb which says, "God punishes us by granting us our wishes!" Mussolini will soon realise this, for now he is saddled with the responsibility of ruling and colonising a country full of brigands, men unwilling to work, and treacherous to each other. What chance is there for Italian colonists, when there are 5.000.000 liberated slaves who will have to be kect and therefore made to earn their own keep. There are fertile areas, it is true, but as far as the mineral wealth, there is no certainty concerning it. and it might prove to be a colossal hoax. Take it for granted that when Abyssinia is conquered, there will be room there only for Italian soldiers and not.for Italian colonists, when there is such abundance of slave labour! Again, where is the capital necessary to colonise Abyssinia coming from when poor Italy is totally bankrupt? Just imagine the last action Mussolini was forced to take, when he nationalised all the banking institutions, and turned every Italian factory producing articles for exports into munition factories. A slump took place, shares went down 40 points, and capitalists are now faced with bankruptcy. As a result of nationalising the banks. Mussolini was able to use the people's savings to carry on his filibustering adveture. Foreign investments were replaced with Italian lire, which have practically lost all value in the European markets. The worst problem will be the disbanding of those poor men who have fought, suffered, and perhaps are now crippled for life. There will not be any industry to employ them, and ft>od is scarce and sold at an exorbitant price. Will these men take it kindly after having faced death for months at a stretch. The old story that Italy needed colonies for her increasing population is played out by now, for if Italy was over populated why did Mussolini spend large sums subsidising the big family and making celibacy a crime against the State? France offered to employ nothing but Italian labour in her work of national reconstruction, but Mussolini refused for military reasons, and France had to import Poles. The Italians employed were all escapees. Besides, in spite of all subsidies, the Italian population, according to Mussolini's figures, has already decreased by over 2,000,000. So I think that fascism is the best and quickest remedy against overpopulation. As to the employment of gas, in order to win. this action is in harmony with the Latin motto which Mussolini has adapted automatically and unconsciously ever since he became a dictator. It reads thus: Succeed, honestly if you can, but by any means succeed. —Yours, etc U. COLONNA. May 5, 1936.

TO TUB EDITOR OF THE PBESS. Sir,—Victory? Is it really victory? The whole world stands aghast, stupified into inaction with the sight of the triumphal march of the armies of this modern Caesar, this barbarian who would thus emulate the deeds of that most ruthless conquerer of ancient times. We view appalled the progress of his armies as they march through the age-old country, crushing its defenceless people by the use of all the modern means of destruction. The devotees who worship at the shrine of science have placed at the disposal, of this maddest product of civilisation the results of their intense research, gained at the expense of much thought and the expenditure of their time and energy. And all to what end?

So that ambition, that callous spirit, which fires the will and burns out all the finer God-given attributes which man possesses, may be gratified! The world offers a feeble, disunited protest against the atrocities perpetrated in the name of civilisation, while the churches have once more failed in their mission, and the head of the most powerful wrings his hands in helpless fashion, crying, "What can we do? . . . All-powerful and supremely helpless!" The world sheds tears: tears at its inability to assuage suffering. What is to be the end? Will the ambition of this inhuman monster be sated by this first taste of power and trial of his strength? Ambition demands more and more food to sustain its flame. It sees in perspective its all-conquer-ing might sweeping through the smiling fields of husbandry, and subjecting its peoples to the sway of its sceptre and power. And when the uttermost limits are thus exploited, death alone may mercifully end all further tsansgression. Meanwhile the victorious nation rejoices. Flowers strew the pathway of its heroos, while the nations outside are silent, stupified spectators of this victory Of might against child-like innocence and ineffectiveness. But is it a victory? For the moment it appears so, a victory against right. But will it endure? It seems a defeat of all things good, but wrong, or wrongdoing, cannot nor ever did last. It contains within itself the seeds of its own destruction and will eventually perish. Nothing ever will endure but that which conforms to the law of right! Right must, at the end, emerge triumphant. It alone of all tnings has the power of life eternal.—Yours, etc., RICHARD J. ECROYD. May 5, 1936.