WAR WITH ITALY

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 115, 16 May 1936, Page 9

WAR WITH ITALY

OUTCOME. OF PBESEtfT POLICY, ;, :.

"ABYSSINIA IRREVOCABLY ITALIAN"

United Press Association—By. Electric Tele- ■■ -' graph—Copyright. ■ LONDON, May 15. The. "Morning Post's" Rome correspondent says: '^If Britain wishes to continue a policy aiming to secure any modification .of the present situation in Abyssinia she can only do so by going to, war with Italy, because Signor Mussolini has staked the Savoy dynasty on his Abyssinian policy. This is neither sensationalism,or alarmism, but a specific warning. '.•'"■• - ' - •'■; ' 1 ETALT'S -NEW; STATUS. ■■ "The decree investing King '.Victor Emmanuel.with the title of Emperor of Abyssinia, with sovereign rights over the whole country," means that the Abyssinian issue is placed on a new level.and that Italy is given a new status—a status^ unassailable except'as a counter-challenge to the" Italian Crown. Signor Mussolini's gesture-'of creating sovereignty so brusquely was not an act of defiance against international usage, but an expression of a threefold united will, namely, the will of the Italian people, the will of the Italian Government, and the will of the -Italian reigning house. With. the ; nation thus behind him, Signor Mussolini made his gesture in order to stop the League wasting further time. HU peremptory telephone message to Geneva recalling Baron Aloisi signified that" he is not going to allow the question-' of Crown rights to be even discussed..' WAR, PERILOUSLY NEAR. ~ "Italy is ready and equipped to fac#; the consequences, and the sooner these' two facts are realised the sooner will I the Abyssinian imbroglio ibe straight* ened out. Italy is convinced that Bri.' tain is the prime mover in an en-! deavour to throw her hack to the state' of political vassalage from which Italy* has, at last emerged under the Mussolini regime. 'Italy wants to be left alone to develop Abyssinia,. It is urgently necessary that Britain should realise, that Italy has taken .up a position which' only war can alter, and, in view of the British Government's official policy, the possibility of such a war seems perilously near." ■ V Signor Mussolini, in a special inter* view with "Le Matin," recalled that h; declared in September that rnili-j tary sanctions would lead to a dang'esiof recasting the map of Europe, and added: :: •.-.,;.■ ■■■ •• ' ■■-•;' ~' What I then said of military sanctions I repeat now in respect ofeconomic sanctions. I say that Abyssinia is irrevocably. Italian; Irre- ' . vocable. I repeat that again. Europe must hear that word and let the world know that the Italian people . can tomorrow, if.- necessary, defend: their empire with all • courage and force...•'■- . ■■; . • The "Daily Telegraph's" Geneva'corr.espondent understands that- the Italians propose to use Lake Tana as a: base for a- large fleet' of long-range aeroplanes. They will, also seek to>conduct discussions concerning the flow of the Nile waters with the Egyptian Government at Cairo, and at Whitehall. .:■