ITALIAN TROOPS

Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1935, Page 5

ITALIAN TROOPS

WAR PREPAR ATION AFRICAN TENSION INCREASES. (United Preen Association —By Electric Telegraph—Oopyrigbtj. LONDON, July 9. The ‘‘News-ChronicleV’ Rome correspondent says: ‘‘ln the last ten days, twenty thousand Italian troops have embarked for East Africa I ', and another twenty thousand are concentrated at Italian ports, ready to leave. “Operations will commence on the date already fixed,’’ says the “Giornale d’ltalia,” which is 'Signor Mussolini’s mouthpiece, namely at the end of the rainy season in September. “It is asserted that Italy lias already received their formal assurance of support from eleven countries, including France, Austria,,.: the Little Entente Powers, also Belgium, Spain and Greece. . I- • ; (i “Signor Mussolini, it is,added, will shortly officially demand Abyssinia’s expulsion trom the League of Nations on the ground that she has failed to fulfil any of her engagements, and notably her pledge to abolish slavery. “Italy’s policy, according to the newspaper “Giornale d’ltalia” is to eliminate Abyssinia not only as a sovereign state, but also as protectorate.’’

BRITISH COMMONS DEBATE. THE ABYSSINIAN SITUATION (British Qfficial Wireless.) .. RUGRY, July 8. In the Commons, Sir Samuel Hoare was questioned regarding- the stipulations made by the British Government in 1933, as a- condition precedent to the withdrawal of opposition ,to the French proposal, supported by Italy, for the admission of Abyssinia to membership of the League of Nations. Sir 'Samuel replied that a special condition upon which the United Kingdom, in common with other members of the League agreed to the admission of Abyssinia .was that that country l should sigu a declaration nn-. dertaking, firstly to endeavour to secure complete suppression of slavery and the slave trade; ; secondly, to abide by the rules which other countries with territories in Africa had already agreed to follow'' regarding the import of arms and munitions, and, thirdly, to provide the. Council with information when so requested, and take into consideration. ahy' recommendations which’ the Council' might make about Abyssinia’s obligations.'

It would be difficult, he added, on the information available to express an . opinion of the efficacy of the measures taken by the Ethiopian Government in regard to slavery. Further information was given to members who had been disturbed by the suggestion of ! the transfer of a corridor along the frontier of British '.Somaliland, which was contained in the conditional proposal recently made to Italy.

Sir Samuel stated* that ' in any definite proposal which His Majesty s Government might have made to cede to Abyssinia the port of Zeila and the corridor of British Somaliland, the Ethiopian Government would have been requested to -give a guarantee that such territory would not be utilised in .any .way for slave traffic. Mr Malcolm. MacDonald, said the inhabitants of British Somaliland were British protected persons. Had circumstances arisen which, required further consideration to the suggestion tentatively made by Air. Eden, consultation would have taken place with the tribes .affected, with a view to transference to Ethiopia of the necessary rights in. the area- concerned, which contained 30 permanent wells, and the port of Zeila.