BRITISH EMPIRE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 230, 27 August 1935, Page 7

BRITISH EMPIRE

IN ITALIAN DISPUTE. AIR AV. M. HUGHES’S ATE AYS. JOINT ACTION REQUIRED. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received August 27, 10.40 a.m. SYDNEY, Aug. 27. Air AV. AI. Hughes, Australia’s wartime Prime Alinister, discussing the Abyssinian situation, declared that the position was extremely serious and pregnant with incalculable consequences. “AVe arc told that the British Government is determined to honour its obligations. If this means that, in tho event of the League Council deciding that Italy is in the wrong, Brittain, single-handed, will attempt to enforce an economic boycott on Italy or restrain her by direct action, a situation will be created which may gravely imperil the existence of tho British Empire,” 6iiid Air Hughes. “Intervention by armed forces composed of quotas furnished by all the members of the League is one thing; action by Britain is quite another. “Britain is urged to intervene in this dispute between Italy and Abyssinia in order to maintain peace. No more certain way of loosing the dogs of war for another and still more terrible world conflict can bo imagined.”

THE LEAGUE_ME£TINGS. BRITISH REPRESENTATION.

(British Official AYireless.) Received August 27, 10.47 a.m. RUGBY, Aug. 26.

Air R. A. Eden is returning to London to-morrow and will remain at work at tho Foreign Office until tbe League meetings take him to Geneva next month.

Pressure of business will not allow tbe Foreign Secretary (Sir Samuel Hoare) to go to the meeting of the League Council on September 4, when Air R. A. Eden will be the British representative, but the Foreign Secretary will reach Geneva in time for the opening of the Assembly,, at which he Avill lead the British delegation. Eighty families will sail with 1200 troops oil tho Neuralia for Alalta. The transport is expected back at Southampton. by October 2 to take her place with the other four transports now in Southampton Docks in tho trooping season’s normal schedule.

TROOPS FOR MALTA. BRITISH PRECAUTIONS.

LONDON, Aug. 26

While practically the whole of the Mediterranean Fleet is stationed at Alalta, the AA’ar Office denies that it proposes to strengthen it. The Daily Alirror says that the liner Neuralia has been ordered to prepare to receive 1200 troops for Alalta. The Netirnlia’s crew will receive a few days off instead of six weeks. The troops will embark on August 31, possibly sooner. The War Office states that it intends to bring tho Alalta defences to the level approved last year.

REALITIES NOT GRASPED. ABYSSINIAN PEASANTRY.

Received August 27, 9.50 a.m. LONDON, Aug. 26. Sir Percival Phillips, writing to tho Daily Telegraph from Addis Ababa, says: The ignorant peasantry remains bewildered and is unable to grasp the grim realities of an air attack. For a week now, an Abyssinian aeroplane has been circling the city to accustom the natives to it. The police are explaining to them exactly what it does, including “dropping weapons which make a big noise and destroy buildings.”

NATIVES AFRAID. FLEEING TO THE HILLS

MERCHANTS ALARAIED.

Received August 27, 1 p.m. LONDON, Aug. 26. Sir Percivnl Phillips, the Daily Telegraph’s Addis Ababa correspondent, announces tluit the Swiss chef attached to the Court has taken a holiday in view of the Empress’s abstention from meat for a month beginning to-day. Priests continue intercessory services. Foreign merchants are panic-stricken by the Bank of Ethiopia’s refusal to sell foreign exchange, as a result of which the thraler lias fallen 4s in the pound. Many merchants are fleeing to the coast and others are closing their shops. Hundreds of natives, apprehending an early air attack, are taking refuge in the hill villages, accompanied by their wives.

The Italian Legation has despatched luggage to Djibouti, indicating its eventual withdrawal.

France is strengthening the railway defences. A Rome message says the Duke of Bergamo, at present commanding a brigade at Dolza.no, has been appointed to a staff post in East Africa.

PRAYERS FOR PEACE. THE EMPRESS CONCERNED.

Received August 27, 9.50 a.m. ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 26. After sixteen days of fasting and praying for peace, the Empress, with face drawn and appearing greatly weakened, told an interviewer that if peace is disturbed she will be the first to exhort the people against the invader, and will copy the Empress Taitou, who fought at her husband’s side in the Battle of Adowa. ITALIANDISPLAY. FOREIGNERS PRESENT. Received August 27, 8.5 a.m. BOLZANO, Aim. 26. Eighty foreign attaches were present at the manoeuvres, including those from Austria, Albania, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Russia and Hungary. WAR EXPECTED. DEFENDERS’ CON FI DENC E. ARMY’S MODERN EQUIPMENT. Considerable light is thrown on the position of Abyssinia, in the event or war with Italy, in an article in the London News-Chronicle by Mr Vivian Meik, author, soldier, and traveller. Abyssinia to-dav is a vast armed camp suvs the writer. Superficially it does not appear so very different from what it was, say, 20 years ago. However, a closer inspection reveals

the fact that, for instance, the rifles in the hands of the tribesmen are of the most modern and efficient type. Abyssinia believes that war is hovering over the country. The date of the outbreak is regarded as a surety. The end of tho rainy season, they say, the latter part of September—perhaps the first week in October — not later.

Two days ago, while on his way home through London, I met an old Ethiopian friend of mine—a nobleman in his own country. He had been on a visit to the continent—the Skoda arms factory, to put it bluntly. ITALY’S INTENTION. We discussed the state of affairs. He laughed cynically. “All this arbitration talk,” lie said, “ means exactly nothing. If it was meant to succeed Italy would have shown a different spirit—but Italy intends to declare war. You know that, and whatever they may say, every chancellery in Europe knows it. “The internal position in • that country is such that only a war can take the minds of the people off their Government.

“Italy would have made the Ualual incident her excuse had she been ready at the time. But she was not, and after that something greater than' Italy took a hand—the rainy season. But the rains will be over in September—and if you do not know what Italy has been doing in the meantime all I can say is that vou should.

ETHIOPIA’S DETERMINATION. “In my attache case are cuttings reporting the inspired attitude of the Italian Press. Some of it has been given wide publicity in your own country—you know what is being said and the lies they are telling there about England. Read them in conjunction with the despatch of division after division of Italian troops. They say it is only to delend Italian Somaliland.”

My friend laughed again. “Defend it against what? Mosquitoes? AVhat other danger is there in Eritrea? No, my friend—we know what is coming and when.” Is that why you have been to Czeclio-Slovakia ? I asked. “There, and to other places. .My country has been an empire since the days of Solomon —before Rome was built —and it will not be our fault if it is not still intact, after Rome—or any other capital —lias crumbled away. . . , f “Our countryside is not that oi Europe, our climate not that of the Mediterranean, our food products not. those of the Latins, our new methods of fighting and our endurance the love of our country are inferior to none. This will be a guerilla war—a rraine at which we excel and into which we can bring almost a million trained men.” . , „ T But the Italian air squadrons. 1 ventured. , . . “Discounted,” was the surprising reply “What have they to bomb? Addis Ababa? Apart from the fact of our own machines and anti-aircraft defences there, admitted they wipe the town out. They blow up a empty houses, that is all. Abyssinia is a vast countryside, not a conglomeration of cities. “We can—all our millions—save ourselves in our forests. Aeroplanes can take a place, but they cannot bold it. In Abyssinia only .the land forces count.”