THE WAR

Grey River Argus, 13 November 1935, Page 5

THE WAR

ITALIAN PROGRESS Loot Recaptured (Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn.) LONDON November 11 Most of the morning’s war despatches deal with the reported arrival of the Italians on the outskirts of Dagabur, after the capture of Sassa baneh.. There is some incredulity that ordinary forces could have made the unprecedented advance of a hundred. miles in seven days in such country, and it Is suggested, that the feat i 9 ajttributable to fleets of light tan ks

A message from Rome confirms that the Abyssinians are massing at Amba Alagi, but an unofficial message from Addis Ababa, says the Abyssinians are in full retreat On the northern and southern fronts. The capture of Anatalo 30 mileis north of AmbaAlagi is also reported.

From the Italian military standpoint, the fall of Gorahai was one of th? most serious blows to Abyssinia endangering the whole zone reserves and concentrations between S'assobaneh ITarrail ami Jijiga, giving theItalians command of ihc wells indispensable for the troops, and opening a direct route to Harrar 'along the Fa fan Valley. The British United Press ITarra.r correspondent says: It is reported that Ras Desta with a strong force penetrated Italian Somaliland behind Dolo attacking Grazian’s rear. Afterwards he will try to join Nasibu. Meanwhile unconfirmed reports from Rome state that Nasibu’s troops mutinied and murdered him. ASMARA, November 11.

Italian troops recovered the bulk of the goods looted by Abyssini'ans from Gougsa’s house at Alakale, a quantity of which was recaptured from a cariavan near Betmariam whose fifty guards were routed by Italian nativ e levies. The capture was the result of smart work by the reconnaissance of an aviator who parachuted, a message to the Askari column disclosing th-e whereabouts of the looters. The Askaris made a forced march during the night and intercepted the caravan, whose defenders though entirenchifig 'themselves on the hillside were) shlaken by a bayonet charge and were routed by a second rush from fh e reserve line. The Abyssinians lost twenty killed. Ten wene 'taken prisoners Three hundred camels laden with agricultural goods and cither supplies were captured. ABYSSINIAN DENIAL. (Aus and N Z. Cable Assn.) ADDIS ABABA, November 11. Ras Na-sibu indignantly denies the story of his assassination. Th e Italians in the southern sector are strongly pressing on towards Jijiga in order to eu ( f off .'tlile fuippLies coming from British Somaliland, but it. is too early to interpret the advance 'as definite mass manifestation ; against Harrar although this must, be the invaders ’ ultimate objective. The Stores and transport animals captured by the Italians at Sansabaneh which Selassie does not ye ( t admit lost, arc substantial though not equal to those secured at GotrsbaL N.Z. DOCTOR’S STATEMENT rPer Pres* Association). WELLINGTON, November IL More than a hint of the hostilities i between Italy and Abyssinia was I gained, bv Dr E. H. M. Luke of | Wellington when returning 'to New i Zealand after a long visit to England ! and Europe. In the Red Sea he saw ' Italian soldiers packed like cattle in transports Genoa was a hive of martial activity. He saw warships nt Port Said, where he arrived two d'ays after the fighting had begun, and the war was brought very close by the remarkable number of cancellations of passages in the Dutch vessel. by which he travelled to Java from London. KING’S BIRTHDAY PARADE. (Ans and N Z. Cable Assn.} ROME, November 11. Rome is celebrating King Victor Emanuel’s birthday. Thirty-five thousand troops marched past Alusso'ini cavalry and infantry preceding the sinister hued vans of the chemical warfare section, L3o> ’guns and 140 tanks. Msusisjollirni.,; after referring to th-e ; victories in Abyssinia pointed ou l ' that the parade represen’ted only an infinitcsmal portion of Italy’s armed forces, who were ready to defend Italian interests, not only in Africa but in Europe. He added: ”In a month or t;wo the/ old score will be settled. The rest will be settled latter. ’ 5 I PROFITEERS AND HOARDING ROME, November 11. The most active part of Italy’s an'ti-Sanetjions campaign l flit present is the fight to prevent the increase in food prices, for which evAry Fas cist group has initiated a vigilance committee to visit shops and ensure 'that goods are not sold above the regulation prices, even to {the extent of a fraction of a penny in the shilling. The Fascists publish a. black of profiteers whose shops have been closed. Despite the authorities’ reassurances mos;t people able to al • ford the expenditure are laying in stocks of provisions, leading to f ,( Mrs of panic hoarding. Mussolini’s economy timetable in Government offices is saving electric light, and has pro dueed a cuijtailm'ent of shopping hours finishing at 11.30 p.m. instead of 1 a.m Conforming to this early bed movement, while doing normal work, necessitates the Italians sacrificing their siesta PROTEST AGAINST • SANCTIONS ROME, November 11. I Italy has notified all Sanction- ’ ary Powers she is protesting on judi-

cial and moral grounds against the application of Sanctions denying the justice of the League’s action in enforcing Article Sixteen against Italy inasmuch as the article was not invoked against Japan, Bolivia and Paraguay, Italy is dispatching a dif-ferently-worded note to Egypt, because she is no/, 'a. member of I League. The portests a ret believed to repeat the charge that Abyssinia is the guilty pan’ty, xagainst whom the League action should be applied. The. Government issued a decree, announcing the virtual suspension of all trad e with the Sancitionary countries providing that a permit from the. Finance Ministry must be obtained before merchants may import any of the 128 listed articles. Th< decree becomes operative on .Nov ember 18. Disapproval of Sanctions ITALY’S STRONG PROTEST (Received November 12 at 8.10 p.m.) WASHINGTON. November 11 A synopsis of the Itaban note dispatched ,fO all the nations approving of the Sanctions made availabe by Ambassador Augusto Rosso short .- ly after submitting it to the United Spates Government for its informs. • lon. The note made the strongest amt fullest protest against the seriousness and injustice of the procedure adopt ed against Italy, and challenged. th<' authority of the League’s co-ordina tion committee 'to app’y tlm Sanctions. In effect, Italy qucistioned whether the Sanchious programme was hi fact a collective League measure. The note warned that D ,r *lv would bo forced into reprisals against economic and financial pressure, and called attention to the serious consequences, not only to Italy but also to fhe economic world generallv. that would result wera e'ac.h Government «an individual judge of, and responsible for the measures against Ttalv 'The note said that the Italian Government did not recognise the legitimacy of the co-ordination committee and concluded” tlu-. Italian Government asks to be advised how your Government, in its fro? and sovereign judgment proposes to act with regard to the measures proposed against Italy?” “Terms Cash” SEVERANCE OF TRADE RELATIONS. LONDON, November 12. The “Telegraph’s” Rome correspondent says that France is the first country against which the Italian Government has taken specific reprisals. Her traders are forbidden to export goods to France or any colonies, unless they are holding anticipatory credits, or cash payment is made in advance. A further decree which is to be issued to-day will virtually sever trade relations between France and Italy. ITALY’S COUNTER MOVE. LONDON, November 12. “The Times” says that Italy’s Sanctions protest note states that Italy will take counter measures against the Sanctions, the responsibility for which will fall on the countries which countenanced the Sanctions. It is believed one of the counter measures will be Italy’s denunciation on the day the Sanctions operate of all commercial treaties between Italy and the Countries which imposed Sanctions. The Rome import decree includes iron, steel, cotton, wool, silk, films, wireless goods, fresh meat. fish, butter, oils, greases, cereals, precious stones, chemicals, manures and the effect is to place the country’s industrial and commercial life more than ever under the Government’s control. RECIPROCAL TRADE CONCESSIONS U.S.A. AND CANADA. (Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.) (Received November 12, at 7.35 p.m.) WASHINGTON, November 11. President Roosevelt took occasion on Armistice Day in an address at the tomb of an unknown soldier at Arlington Cemetery to announce tha-t' a reciprocal trade agreement had been-, concluded with Canada, which announcement was made simultaneously by Mr King (Canadian Prime Minister). The President hailed the treaty as another tie of friendship between two historieally-friendily neighbours. The treaty, a "draft of which is not yet made .public, will be signed wit'hin a few days at Washington and Ottawa. Th e general outline of the treaty, according to the observers at Washing ton, who followed the protracted negotiations, will be an agreement on Canada’ s part’ to stabilise her whole tariff including the elimination procedure whereby duties on United States imports will be raised or lowered almost at will. In addition, Canada will g r ant outright' tariff concessions in some form or another to several hundred exportable .United States commodities,, including, it is thought, coal, petroleum, iron, machinery, automobiles and part's, radios, seasonal and dried fruits, grazing cattle and other items of less importance. In re tun it is believed that the United State s will maintain on its free list the three main items of Canadian namely newsprint, pulpwood and wood pulp, and in addition Will grant' a liberal reduction of duty on whisky and possibly a lesser reduction on rough timber, seed potatoes, nickel, dairy products and certain raw products it indicates. The Administration leaders boll high hopeto that' the new treaty wi’l greatly accelerate the flow of trade between the two countries vfchich dropped from fourteen hundred million in 1929. to about about half a billion in recent', years.