“TO THE BITTER END”

Evening Star, Issue 22327, 1 May 1936, Page 9

“TO THE BITTER END”

ETHIOPIAN EMPEROR'S DETERMINATION COUNTRY'S RESISTANCE NOT BROKEN ADDIS ABABA, April 30. The Emperor’s statement about fighting to the bitter end was communicated by the Emperor to the Addis Ababa correspondent of ‘ The Times.’ It is his answer to a London newspaper report stating that he had acknowledged that Abyssinia could no longer resist an enemy employing every device of modern warfare. The correspondent adds: “ The Emperor has never acknowledged that his country’s resistance is broken. On the contrary, he has repeatedly stated that they would fight on to the end, whatever it might be, for the system of collective security.”

11 LAMENTABLE IMPOTENCE "

ARCHBISHOP’S INDICTMENT. LONDON, April 30.. ** It is never more difficult to restrain language than when one considers what is happening in Abyssinia,” declared the Archbishop of Canterbury. “ The impotence of Christian Europe while professedly Christian people use every barbarity in the name of civilisation is lamentable.”

ITALIAN SUCCESS ROME, April 30. (Received May 1, at 10.5 a.m.) Marshal Badoglio reports the capture of Sasa Baneh. The enemy was routed and is being pursued by the Italians.

DESERTERS' FATE

TROUBLE IN KENYA. LONDON, April 30. (Received May 1, at 11.15 a.m.) The Nairobi correspondent of ‘ The Times ’ says an official statement reveals the fate of 31 Italian native deserters who entered Kenya, where they were interned. They were woodcutting under an escort when they escaped. Desperate men armed with machetes coulld not be permitted to remain at large, and accordingly patrols belonging to the King’s African Rifles were sent out to surround them. A sergeant demanded their surrender, in pursuance of orders that he should not fire unless surrender was refused. The fugitives scattered and lire opened, resulting in three killed and several wounded. Six were drowned in attempting to cross a flooded river, and six are missing, believed drowned. Sixteen were recaptured.

AT BAYONET MINT WHOLE OF SASABANEH CAPTURED. Pr»M Allocation—By Telegraph—Copyright ROME, April 30. (Received May 1, at 2 p.m.) Marshal Badoglio’s communique states: “ General Graziani’s troops have carried at bayonet point the whole of Sasabaneh. A line of Italians advancing from Lake Tsana occupied Debratabor, Ras Kassa’s former headquarters.” The Italians were held up by rain, and resumed the attack at dawn on April 29. General Agostini descended suddenly on the Abyssinian flank at Bullaleh, resulting in the eventual capture of the objectives, including Nahbur, after 10 days’ arduous fighting, in which the Abyssinians resisted until the last. Machine guns, mounted on lorries, assisted by 30 bombers, heavily punished the retreating columns. The Italians advancing towards Addis Ababa captured Debrebrehan, later capturing an important position at Mount Tarma, held by 350 Abyssinians under the Swedish captain, Tamn. Thousands of hastily-raised reinforcements from the capital did not arrive owing to lack of food, which some quarters attribute to treachery.