"CRIME IN ABYSSINIA"

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 91, 14 October 1935, Page 11

"CRIME IN ABYSSINIA"

UNPALATABLE TRUTHS

A SITUATION OF PERIL

"Crime in Abyssinia" was chosen by the Venerable Archdeacon Bullock as the subject for an address at the evening service in St. Peter's Church yesterday. It was easy for a preacher to imagine that he was always speaking unpalatable truths, he said, and easier still—because truth was unpopular—to escape saying anything that would bite into the mind. However, because he believed a situation full of peril was being created, he was going to speak of "Crime in Abyssinia." He took for his text St. Luke xxiv, 42, "If thou hadst known, in this thy day, the things concerning thy peace." The nations of the world had pinned their faith on the Covenant of the League' of Nations as a preventative of future wars and, with one or two exceptions, had bound themselves to prevent by united action aggression either by or upon a member of the League. Armed aggression had taken place in Manchuria and Seuth America, but on both those'occasions it had to be admitted that intervention was-wellnigh impossible. Yet through taking no action or little action the League had lost ground which had only been regained: by the strong faith and untiring action of some farseeing statesmen. "But now there is placarded before the world a most flagrant and cruel attack by one of the leading nations of the League upon a primitive, backward, and unprepared people," said the Archdeacon. "I do not forget that Abyssinia may have been . a galling and obstreperous neighbour. Neither am I unmindful of Italy's need to find room for her teeming population, yet the persistency with which Italy has preferred warlike measures to those of arbitration is patent to all. While Abyssinia has promised to abide by the League's. judgment this unrepentant and uncurbed pride in the destructive work of 'reeking tube" and iron shard'; is more than enough, to sicken those who had hoped that war drums might be left alone and battle flags be still kept furled." FAR-REACHING EFFECT" Italy's breach of international faith threatened more: than, the natives of Ethiopia, Ahe Archdeacon, declared. If the campaign were allowed to go on unchecked and unrebuked, it would result in the "breakdown and destruction of the League, and if the League failed the world would go back to jungle law. If the League failed no nation could trust any more in an' organisation built on the solemn pledges of all,; but without the courage to take necessary action.. The opportunity to check the aggressor was there at the present time—even to the cutting of Italy's spinal column of attack. "'We must go back,' all nations will say, 'to secret treaties and the creation of bigger armaments,'" said the Archdeacon. " 'For we have seen the League no longer hampered,' no longer materially incapable of doing something, yet so morally faithless and lacking in courage to do what justice and elementaryprudence demanded.' "I cannot help feeling that upon the decision and courage of.the.League in applying sanctions, either economic or military if need be, rests the fate of that civilisation of which we partake. We have reached a crossroad of desf tiny. Lack of faith or courage no\£ means an inevitable bath of blood for pur sons and daughters, within the next ten or twenty years." .:

History was a voice that had sounded across the ages the law of right and wrong, the Archdeacon said, and outlined a number of historical points to illustrate how the moral law was written upon the tablets of eternity. To do wrong and hope that good might, come of it was sheer foolishness, and to s;tahd by and see wrong done with-? out protest meant bringing disaster by default. It was because he realised this that Mr. Anthony Eden had said so many times: "The League must act effectively, and act quickly."