RIOTS MENACE the American Legation

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 121, 6 May 1936, Page 8

RIOTS MENACE the American Legation

APPEAL FOR AID .'rouble Grows Serious at Addis Ababa LOOTERS RAID MINT 3y Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright .WASHINGTON, May 4. Although separated by only a few city squares, the American Legation at Addis Ababa was compelled to send an appeal for aid to the British Legation via wireless to Washington, telephone to the Foreign Office in London thence to Sir Sidney Barton in Addis Ababa. A temporary lapse in radio communication between London and the British Legation in the Ethiopian capital, however, has delayed the American Minister’!, Mr. Engert's, appeal for a Lewis gun and a few Sikhs to help repel the bandits who have beleaguered the Legation and seriously wounded two servants. Bullets narrowly missed Mrs Engert. Efforts to send messages to the British Legation by runner have failed. In the meantime, the American building is under interm/ttent fire.

President Roosevelt is greatly concerned about the situation. The State Department has been somewhat relieved by British Foreign Office assurances that aid from Sir Sidney Barton would be available as soon as radio communication was re-established. While some relief is felt with the receipt of news from London that the Foreign Office had been advised by Sir Sidney Barton, British Minister at Addis Ababa, late to-day that a truck load of Sikh troops had been sent to the relief of the American Legation, a message was received to-night from Mi Engert, American Minister at Addis Ababa, stating: “The British Legation apparently is unable to get into touch with ns, but we feel confident that wo can hold out at least until tomorrow.’' The Secretary of State, Mr Cordell Hull, was asked by Washington correspondents why precautions had not oeen taken for the defence of the American Legation, but the question remained unanswered . At the State De-

partment, however, it was indicated that Mr Engert had been instructed to abandon the Legation at his own discretion and take refuge in the British compound. Officials declined to indicate in any way the American attitude to Italian conquest of Ethiopia, intimating that the United States would take no action until the situation was further clarified. The State Department late to night announced: “Owing to the critical situation at Addis Ababa, the British ..liuister is unable to spare a detachment of Sikhs to assist in the defence of the American Legation. However, lie British Foreign Office has offiered to •jlegraph Sir Sidney Barton to send a •envoy to evacuate the Legation in lew of the attack Upon the Turkish, ’rendi and Belgian Legations and wing to the fact that the American •egation has not prepared adequate decnca. The British offer has been acepted and Mr Engert has been urged o take advantage of the opportunity fforded to evacuate the occupants from .re American Legation.’’ .An Addis Ababa message says that Mr Engert has not yet quitted the Legation though Mr Cordell Hull has pproved evacuation under British escort. Reports from Paris suggest that tbc ' reach legation is in need of previous. Hitherto it has successfully rented marauders. During yesterday’s laid th? mint was •aptured and the w,’ ole of ’.he go’ll ■tore. The attackers piled up diac mdies as barricades V. omen dressed m men’s clothing aed arm.d with -trong swords herceiy participated to 'hare the loot. Has Nasibu and Wchib Pasha have arrived nt Jibuti, from Ogaden; thus the 'ast trace of organ ised resistance has vanished