SELASSIE’S APPEAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 July 1936, Page 2

SELASSIE’S APPEAL

"SAVE MY BROKEN PEOPLE”

[by cable —press Assn. —copybight.]

(Recd. July 1, 3.15 p.m.) GENEVA, June 30. A frail, lonely figure, speaking a language none of the delegates understood, Selassie appealed to the League not to abandon his unhappy country. Only his bearing and manner indicated the extent to which he personally was moved, but his words, immediately translated from Amharic through an automatic multiphone, confirmed his obvious appeal. “God’ and history will remember your judgment,’’ he said. Nevertheless, the speech was received with mingled feelings. The representatives of 52 nations were visibly embarrassed by the Negus's taunts of their ineffectiveness to deal with the aggressor. The speech, from beginning to end, sounded a stern denunciation of international intrigues. The Emperor complained bitterly of the failure of the League’s promise of support, and announced that whatever the League did, Ehtiopia was not going to bow to force. Addressing the Assembly, Selassie said that Ethiopia, under his guidance, had become more unified. He would have been able tp procure greater results, if obstacles had not been placed in his way by the Italian Government, which continually stirred up revolt? They had not ceased for fourteen years, their preparations for conquest, yet Abyssinia had confidence in the treaties to which Italy and other Powers subscribed. In a passage presumably referring to France, he said: It is certain that the situation would not. have taken the development it had, if a certain Government in Europe had not felt it necessary to obtain the friendship of Italy. A secret treaty has really af-

fected the whole course of events. Fifty-two countries assured me in October that the aggressor w'-ould not b’3 successful. When I found that it was necessary in hte first six

months of 1935 to provide arms and

ammunition, which Abyssinia hitherto did not possess, 1 found that many Governments had embargoes to prevent my doing so. Italy, however, was able to obtain through the Suez Canal all the latest weapons. Thus, in this great struggle, there were 42

millions, with an unlimited supply of the most modern death-dealing weapons, opposed to a. small, weak State of twelve millions, entirely unprovided with modern weapons. What real assistance has been granted to my country -by these 52 States under the Covenant? Has every nation considered that an act of war was personally committed against it, as the Covenant says it. would do?

Selassie referred to Austria-Hungary and Albania refusing to participate in Sanctions, and said that other Powers, while proclaiming their adherence to League principles, opposed those principles being put into action. Abyssinia asked for financial assistance from the League in vain. What, therefore, did Article Sixteen mean? The use of the Djibouti railway was denied to Abyssinia throughout the operations, but it now was being used as the main source of supply for lhe Italian Army of occupation.

Referring io statements in the Parliaments of two great Powers (presumably Britain and France) that they had decided to give up Sanctions, I the Negus said: “I come to this Assembly to assert that this problem cannot be settled in this manner. It is not merely a settlement of the Italo-Ethiopian dispute that. is at stake. It. is the future of all those little countries who place their trust in (ho sanctity of treaties. It is the principle of collective security and international morality that is at stake. I

appeal to you at this moment, when my people are threatened with extermination, this last moment when the League can intervene to save my broken people. God and history will remember your judgment. The Ethiopian Emperor find people are not going to bow to force. What are you going to do?”

There was mild applause from many delegates, and louder from the galleries, when the Emperor descended from the rostrum and left the building. He received an ovation from crowds outside. The Assembly adjourned until the morning, when seven delegates are scheduled to speak, including British, Canadian and South African. It was learned that the Italians were most anxious the Emperor’s speech should not be delivered to-day, fearing it would spoil the effect of their own Note .