NEGUS IN LONDON

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 146, 5 June 1936, Page 5

NEGUS IN LONDON

Personal Appeal to Sentiment of All Peoples

EMPEROR’S STATEMENT

(By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (•Received 0, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, June 4. The Abyssinian Emperor, Hail! Bellassle, and his family are living la a house next to tho Legation at I’riuee'a Gate, which is decorated with Abyssinian flags. The Emperor silently received a representative of the International Press, his secretary reading a statement which included, "In the face of the horrors of the enemy 's pitiless aviation we had to choose cither to allow complete extermination of our peoples or terminate their sufferings. Wo have come personally to appeal to the sentiment and justice of all tho peoples." 'f'-ho Emperor afterwards strolled in the garden to enable films and photographs to bo made, his solemn bearing contrasting with his children, who .appeared to enjoy the not elty of the occasion.

The windows of neighbouring houses are crowded with housemaids overlook iug the Emperor's garden. Ironically, telTeshmouts offered tho guests included Italian vermouth.

A British official wireless message states: The Emperor of Ethiopia, in a message to tho Press, says, ‘ ‘ Wo never desired war; it was imposed upon ns, and with our people unarmed and unprepared, wo resisted for seven long mouths. Our subjects were poisoned, burned and decimated by cases, against which they had absolutely no means of protection. Returning with us to Addis Ababa, our troops passed through devastated fields and ruined villages covered with bodies of aged men, women and children massacred behind tho lines." ’