The Hawera Star FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 1935. ITALY’S SABRE-RATTLING.

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 7 June 1935, Page 6

The Hawera Star

FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 1935. ITALY’S SABRE-RATTLING.

lelivered every evening by 5 “'clock in Hawera. Manaia, Kaupokunui, Otakeho, Oeo, Piharna, Opunake. Eltham. Mangatoki. 'Kaponga. Awatuna. Te Kin. Mahoe, Lowgarth. Manutahl. Kakara aiea, Alton, aurleyville. Hatea. Whenua kura, Waverley. Mokoia, Whakam».ra Ohangai. Meretnere. Fraser Soad an. ararata

It is most unfortunate for the cause of peace between Italy and Abyssinia that tribesmen on the Eritrean frontier have been misled into following the example of those on the Italian Somaliland frontier, for this minor outbreak will be seized upon by Italian Fascists as further justification for their Government’s warlike preparations in Africa. One of the features of the Italo-Abyssinian situation difficult of understanding at this distance has been the solemnity with which the League has weighed the charges made by Italy against Abyssinia, as though the latter were a first-class European Power, instead, of a nation containing many different tribes of warlike people to whom guerrilla warfare is the breath of life. For Mussolini to raise an army of half a million to a million, and its appropriate modern equipment, in order to put the Emperor of Ethiopia in his place, appears to be an effort out of all proportion to the needs of the task in hand. On all sides it appears to he accepted that Mussolini has something bigger and more far-reach-ing in view, yet on the surface everybody, including the League, keeps up the solemn farce of treating the dispute as they would a diplomatic breach between two European Powers of equal standing and cultui’c. As the cabled report of the latest frontier trouble emanates from Rome there may be little doubt that the most has been made of this recurrence of raiding, and that Italy will make as much use of it as possible to give the colour of right to her warlike preparations in northeastern Africa. There is, however, no reason to suppose that the most recent raids on native subjects of Eritrea were inspired from the Ethiopian capital. They will, of course, add to the difficulties of the Ethiopian Emperor and they will be a decided hindrance to the efforts for peaceful settlement of the dispute between two members of the League of Nations. From Signor Mussolini’s point of view the attacks on Italian police posts and on native subjects of Italy arc opportune, as they have helped him to overcome to. a great extent the dissatisfaction in Italy which his preparations for a campaign were rcportel recently to have aroused. It is significant that the Italian version of the effect in Rome of these latest incidents describes the cheering of detachments of troops for colonial service as they marched through the city, and follows with the statement of officials concerning the inadequacy of existing forces in Africa for the policing of the frontiers. The leaders of these raiding parties have almost certainly not realised the extent to which they have betrayed their own country’s interests, but it should be remembered that the border chieftains of Ethiopia have long been accustomed to going very much their own way, and that their frontiers have not been delimited properly. Their action is, however, all the more untimely because it gives Italy definite and recent ground for grievance on a frontier which was not directly affected by the Ualual incidents.