WAR HORROR

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12750, 4 January 1936, Page 5

WAR HORROR

ITALY'S ADMiSSTON REPORTED. SARCASTIC PRESS COMMENT. (U.P.A. by Ele-. 1-1. Copyright). LONDON, Jan. 2. As the British Legation at Addis Ababa is in charge of Swedish interests in Ethiopia, the Swedish Government made an urgent request that the British Minister should obtain on behalf of Sweden from the Ethiopian Government an official report on the bombing of the Swedish Red Cross ambulance unit, said to have occurred on Monday on the Ogaden front. The Swedish Government’s request was immediately forwarded from London to the British Minister at Addis Ababa, Sir Sidney Barton. A message from Rome says that the Italians admit bombing the Swedish Red Cross unit. A semi-official statement says: “The raid was a reprisal after the Ab\*,sinians had beheaded a captive, Flight-Lictit. Minnitti. Accompanying a bomb was the message. ‘You killed one of our airmen taken prisoner by cutting off his head, which was carried in triumph on a spear point to Hnrrar. This was against th'e laws of humanity and the international convention which lays down that, prisoners are sacred. You will get in return what you have deserved.’, During the bombing one fell on a tent of the Swedish Rod Cross encampment. It seems that two Swedes were wounded and a number of Abyssinians were killed or wounded. The bombing was on a very large scale.”

The Italian press, preparing to meet the foreign outcry, insists that the Swedes wore members of the Swedish military mission. The Giornalo d’ltalia asks whether in the face of the Abyssinian war methods' the world expects Italy to order soldiers to put cork tips on their bayonets and fill bombs with can' do cologne. The journal 'adds : “Stockholm should tell us whether Sweden desires aviators, before proceeding with bombing operations, to lower a couple of men by parachute to ascertain whether any Swedish physician is in the neighborhood. A message' from Oslo states that, the Norwegian Foreign Minister declares the bombing contrary to everything called international law. He considers that all civilised opinion must deplore such warfare. An Addis Ababa report states that Dr. Fride Hylander, the commander of the Swedish Red Cross unit, was wounded while actually performing an operation in a tent.

BOMBING OF RED cross

DIVERGENT REPORTS. OPPOSING CLAIMS DENIED. " SWEDISH INDIGNATION. (U.P.A. by Elec. TeT. C<u»yright). LONDON, Jan. 2. A campaign of statement and counter-statement has begun with reference to the bombing by Italian planes of the Swedish Red Cro.s unit near Dolo, in Abyssinia, on Monday, and charges made by tlio Italians against the Abyssinians. The Italian' Government denies that Swedish officials were killed by bombs, this statement being given on the authority of General Badoglio, who announce:; that his intelligence branch has established that nobody was killed, though two Swedes were wounded.

The Abyssinian's deny the alleged decapitation of Italian airmen, adding that th c allegation is an odious lie designed to cover an act of piracy. Stockholm reports that indignation in Sweden regarding the bombing incident is spreading and the Red Cross Society is urged to replace the unit and send out additional doctors andi n u rsca, for which many are Volunteering.

OFFICIAL- REGRETS ITALY CLAIMS SWEDISH OPINION MISLED (U.P.A. by Elec. Tel- Copyright). (Received Jan. 3, -5.5 p-m.) ROME, Jan. 2. S. Suvieli received the Swedish Minister and expressed regret at the wounding of Dr. Hylander, but emphasised that- mendacious versions of the bombing were misleading Swedish opinion. The Daily Mail's Stockholm correspondent says that the Swedish Red Cross has decided to provide funds to investigate the bomV.ng. Meanwhile, M. Laval has received S- Cer'uti, resulting in various versions from the conversation. Thc Daily Mail’s Paris correspondent believes that M. Lava! explained his recent speeches in the Chamber, and also mentioned that a new situation had been caused by the bombing of the Swedish unit and possible diplomatic action at a meeting of the League Council on January 10. The' Daily Telegraph's Paris correspondent interprets the meeting as concerned with a new peace plan, which, it is hoped, will be successful before January 20.

12 PLANES MAKE ATTACK. GAS BOMBS ALSO DROPPED. (U P.A. Dy Elec- TtT. r\jpyrlcht). (Received -Jan. 3. 11.33 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. ■'! The Daily Mail’s Addis Ababa cor respondent says that Mr. Sidney Brown, the international Red Cross delegate, confirms the report that -lie Swedish unit was surrounded by Red Cross flags and was at least 1103 yards from thc nearest troops. Ras Desta’s latest report.* states that twelve Italian aeroplanes participated. They also dropped gas bombs.