FUTURE OF ETHIOPIA

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 30, 5 February 1941, Page 6

FUTURE OF ETHIOPIA

Though it is only a few weeks since British Imperial forces began their attack, from many points wide apart, on Italy's vast East African empire, such progress has been made as to justify a reference by Mr. Eden in the House of Commons to the future of Ethiopia, or Abyssinia, as it is better known, conquered by Italy five years ago. The Italian conquest was completed between one rainy season and the next, and from all the indications at present the reeonquest by the Ethiopians, with British assistance, may be just as rapid. Hence Mr. Eden's statement Oh the future status of Ethiopia cannot be regarded as premature. In defining the attitude of Britain he said that the British Government would welcome the reappearance of an independent Ethiopian State and recognise, the claim of the Emperor Haile Selassie to the throne. The justice of this claim will be generally admitted. In the restoration of an independent Ethiopia under his rule he will obviously need assistance and guidance and these he has sought from Britain. The British Government rightly considers, as Mr. Eden declared, that in economic and political matters

this should be the subject of international agreement at the conclusion of peace. Britain, he reaffirmed, has no territorial ambitions in Abyssinia, and military guidance and control, carried out in consultation with the Emperor, would be brought to an end as soon as the situation permitted. This declaration of British policy should make it abundantly clear that Britain has no imperialistic aims, and never had any, in this war.