WAR INEVITABLE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 258, 28 September 1935, Page 2

WAR INEVITABLE

CONDITIONS IN ABYSSINIA. A MISSIONARY’S VIEW. “I would be rather sorry to see civilisation come to Abyssinia. I would prefer to see it continue with its primitive methods of agriculture, its bent-stick plough, its oxen and mud huts, and take to the Abyssinian the only thing he needs—the moral regeneration of the Gospel. That would settle any problems which ho lias. The Abyssinians do not need our civilisation, which I suppose must be thrust upon them.” This comment was made by Mr C. H. Barton, for five years in Abyssinia with the Sudan Interior Mission, and now visiting Palmerston North, in an address to the Citizens’ Lunch Club yesterday. His headquarters were four days’ journey by mule south of Addis Ababa, and he expressed the personal opinion that war was now inevitable, with the Italian forces now ready to advance and a general mobilisation of tlio Abyssinians ordered.

Abyssinia was a most interesting country and, according to the view taken, one of tremendous contrasts, said Mr Barton. Because of its mountainous regions and vast plateaux, it was a very desirable country, ranging from 2000 to 15,000 feet above sea level. Practically every kind of grain could be planted, and tropical or subtropieal fruits grown. There were sections where a plough could be put over a five to ten mile stretch without obstruction, but the mountains were steep, craggy and terrible. Abyssinians were of the negroid type in the south, but the ruling class were the Amliaras, of which tne Emperor was one, who peopled the barren northern territory and had extended their influence southwards. Mussolini would have to advance across the desert country to reach the plains of rich pastoral possibilities and fertility, rung Solomon's mines were reputed to have been re-located on the extreme north-western side of Abyssinia, abutting on the Angio-Egyptiah Sudan, but it was understood these great sources of gold and diamonds were sealed up and under close guard. The Amharas of Abyssinia, said Mr Barton, were extremely courteous and dignified, but warlike, the women being beautiful and the men handsome. The Emperor, Haile Selassie, was a very intellectual man, of considerazle culture, speaking French fluently and having a working knowledge of English. He was very different from the rather brutal Menelik 11. Though they were used to changes of kingship, the Abyssinians, who were naturally and instinctively fighters, would strive heart and soul to keep the independence they had maintained over an uninterrupted period of GOOO years.

The / ambition of every Abyssinian boy was to secure a rifle and become a brigand in the mountain fastnesses. There were thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands, of old rirles, relics of the Franco-Prussian War, in use, but they inflicted ugly wounds. The Emperor had issued to Iris bodyguard fine modern rifles, and there was unlikely, to bo a shortage of ammunition in Abyssinia. The boys made a hobby of collecting cartridges in bandoliers. Poverty in Abyssinia, which was 3 1-3 times the size of New Zealand, was never related to food, which was riot difficult to obtain. The people were rather indolent and worked only during the rainy season. They lilted raw - meat, chewing the chunks with relish, and their staple food was _ a cereal bread of pancake-like consistency, with a hot, red salt. Abyssinian resources were naturally mobilised under the .serf system, and to reach the resources of the highlands the Italians would have to penetrate 150 miles over very rough country, crossing ravines 1000 to 2000 feet deep. Mr Barton did not know how long it would take an Italian army to negotiate these. . with Abyssinian snipers lurking everywhere. “The geographical conditions of the country would give Abyssinia a big start in war,” added Mr Barton. There had been fears of an Italian air fleet.' but Addis Ababa was the only centre of any size, and the main buildings, cheek by jowl with the round thatched native huts, were owned by European merchants who had found Abyssinia a happy hunting ground. Tlio Abyssinians would not worry if these were knocked down. The city was completely buried from sight by a vast plantation of Australian bluegum trees. Mud huts were in groups of from 5 to 50 on the plains, but the Abyssinian, knowing he was open to attack ■on the latter, always retreated in times of danger to the mountain fastnesses which were his heritage, - taking there his wife, children, goods and cattle. This would be a puzzle for bombing ’planes, and Mussolini would find the pastime of knocking down Abyssinian mud liuts an expensive business. Civilisation would come to Abyssinia in time, the speaker concluded. Just as it had not been in the best interests of tlie Maori people, so was it not in the best interests of other native races, particularly in the East, that Western civilisation should be thrust upon them It was the job of the missionaries to prepare the way and place moral restraints on the people in readiness for the ill-fitting garments they would wear. The Abyssinian looked clean, graceful and elegant in his own clothes, but very annoyirig in Western attire. Mr W. B. - Tennent presided and moved the vote of thanks to the speaker. ,