“THE WAR GOES ON”

Evening Star, Issue 22363, 12 June 1936, Page 9

“THE WAR GOES ON”

ETHIOPIAN MINISTER’S DECLARATION SCATTERED TROOPS REORGANISING Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, June 11. “ Abyssinia is still unconquercd, and the war goes on,” said M. Herrouv, Foreign Minister for Abyssinia, on his arrival in London, where ho will resume his post as advisor to the Emperor. “ The Government still rules from Gore, in the west, where there are 10,000 well-armed warriors. Rais Desta, in the south, has 15,000 men, and scattered troops from Ogaden are reforming. Rains have immobilised the Italians, whose aeroplanes are helpless owing to low clouds, and the roads are useless. They are prisoners in their own garrisons. The Abyssinian armies will resume resistance in October, when the rains are over. It will bo mountain warfare. A third of the country is still intact.” SELASSIE IN LONDON APPEAL FOR CONFIDENCE IN LEAGUE. LONDON, June 11. (Received Juno 12, at 11 a.m.) Haile Selassie attended his first public lunch in England when he was the guest of the League of Nations Union. Professor Gilbert Murray toasted his health. Selassie replied that there was current an unfortunate tendency to consider the League in its present form incapable of continued existence or further action in the present war. He added that the Abyssinians in Wallo, Chercher, and other occupied provinces were rising against their oppressors, while Western Ethiopia was still under the government of its lawful authorities. This was not the moment for abandonment of confidence in the League. VICEROY OF ABYSSINIA MARSHAL BADOGLIO RESIGNS. ROME, June 11, (Received June 12, at 11 a.m.) Marshal Badoglio has been relieved of the Viceroyship of Abyssinia at his own request. General Graziani succeed him. •• DUKE OF ADDIS ABABA " ROME, June 11, (Received Juno 12, at 2.15 p.m.) Signor Mussolini has created Marshal Badoglio Duke of Addis Ababa. ment that he personally was not moving the amendment, with the result that it was rejected by 227 votes to 135, after which the motion to accept the report was agreed to without division. SIR ALFRED BUTT’S DECLARATION. Sir Alfred Butt, his voice scarcely audible, said this was the most painful occasion on which he had addressed the House. It was his last address to this Parliament. “ I say emphatically that no member of the Cabinet has ever consciously or unconsciously disclosed to me any confidential information. When I heard the appalling decision of the tribunal, conscious as I was of the grave injustice done me, I thought I should have absolute right of trial in tl*o courts, where I should have had full notice of the charge against me, and where only properly admissible evidence would be given. Then I heard there was not to be a prosecution, and my case would not bo heard. 1 have been condemned, and apparently must suffer for the rest of my life from findings against which there is no appeal and which were bused on evidence which apparently does not justify a trial: There is no rnctho' open to me by which I can bring the issue before a jury, With the greatest respect, I cannot conceive that the combined ingenuity of the Lord Chancellor, the Home Secretary and Attorney-General could not devise a method to bring the vital issue to court, but, as they have not devised a method, how can I ask the House to acquit me? If any good had to come from this most miserable moment of my life I hope my position may be something to prevent anybody else from being subject to this humiliation. T feel from the bottom of my heart that I am the victim of a grave injustice. I hope and pray some means are still available to enable me to prove my integrity. I propose to apply immediately for the Chiltern Hundreds. Until to-day I had no intention of resigning, but, having regard to Mr Thomas’s action, I feel it would be impossible for me to take up a different position.” Sir Alfred Butt rose and left his seat, and bowed to the Speaker as he left the House. “ NOT THE END OF JIM THOMAS " LONDON, June 11. (Received June 12 at 2 p.m.) “ If you ask me if this is the end of Jim Thomas, the answer is definitely ‘No,’” Mr Thomas told the ‘Daily Mail’s ’ representative on arrival at Ferring. v Mr Thomas added; “ 1 am in an unfortunate position where there is no right of appeal. I shall settle down hero with my family. Letters of goodwill are coining daily from all parts of the country.”