MORE TROOPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22155, 8 July 1935, Page 9

MORE TROOPS

ITALIANS DEPART SERVICE IN AFRICA MUSSOLINI'S ADDBESS decision IRREVOCABLE SONS JOIN AIR FORCE By Telpsmpli- Press Association—Copyright (Received July 7. 8.H5 p.m.) ROME, .Tuly G The Prime Minister of Tlalv, Signor JVlussolini, speaking afc Salerno to troops who wore about to embark for East Africa, said : "Italians have alwavs defeated blacks. Our decision in regard to Abyssinia is irrevocable. " Italy is writing another heroic page in her history. Referring to the battle of Adowa, Signer Mussolini said that 1000 Italians there had fought madly against 100.000 Ethiopians, hut the Italian Government then was more preoccupied with Parliamentary squabbles than ■with its troops. To-day all Italy was behind her * sons in l'.!ist Africa. The Prime Minister's sons, Vittoria, nged 19. and Bruno, 17, recently qualified as pilots and have enlisted for service with the Italian Air Force in East Africa. Lightning struck a seaplane in which Signor Mussolini flew to Salerno for the review. The wireless operator fainted. The machine was not damaged. Adowa. Abyssinia, was the scene of a decisive defeat of Italians by forces under King Menelik in 1896. It is situated at an altitude of 6000 ft. CHALLENGE TO DUEL ITALIAN OFFENDED MAJOR ATTLEE DECLINES (Received July 5.5 p.m.) Times Cible LONDON. July 6 The Pome correspondent of the Times states that Captain Fanelli challenged Major C. R. Attlee, Labour member of the House of Comnions for Stepney, to a duel in any neutral country with any weapons. He objected to Major Attlee's remarks in the House on the I talo-A by ssi nia n dispute. Major Attlee declined the challenge, declaring that duelling was a barbarous and obsolete method of liquidating quarrels and that it puts a premium on a bullv. He explained that he had only criticised the Italian Government and had not referred to the people. His remarks did not exceed the freedom of speech recognised in Britain. Captain Fanelli is not satisfied and is persisting in his challenge. ETHIOPIA'S PLEA REPLY BY AMERICA NON-INTERFERENCE POLICY (Received July 7. 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, July 6 The United States has deposited the Italo-Ethiopian troubles hack on the other side of the Atlantic, but the Government says it is loth to believe that either nation will resort to other than pacific means of settling the dispute. A Note which the Secretary of state, Mr. Cordell Hull, sent to the Emperor of Ethiopia in response to his plea that the United States would invoke the Briand-Kellogg Pact is interpreted widely as an effort to avoid entanglement. Although the United States declines to interfere it is pointed out that both Italy and Abyssinia signed the Pact of Paris. Without waiting for the cabled text of the appeal from Addis Ababa, President Roosevelt is sending a reply pointing out that while his Government is interested in the maintenance ot peace in all parts of the world, the controversy which unhappily has arisen between the Abyssinian Government and the Italian Government is now in process ot arbitration by the League of Nations. In regard to the reported evacuation of American nationals from Abyssinia, the State Department says it has authorised the Charge d Affaires at Addis Ababa, Mr. William George, .to take what precautions he thinks necessary. There arc about 125 Americans in the country, of whom 110 are missionaries of various faiths. It appears, however, that some will not heed a warning. Mr. T. A. La in hie, American director of the Ethiopian mission service, has advised his headquarters in Washington that 50 missionaries of his organisation will ignore any orders or suggestions to evacuate. " We put our faith in God, he says, " and do not expect Consular protection. I believe there is no danger from bombing aeroplanes." INTEREST IN BRITAIN EFFORTS FOR SETTLEMENT British Wireless KLGBY, Jul} 5 The close questioning which Ministers in the House of Commons undeiuent yesterday in regard to the tentative offer to cede a strip of British Somaliland in order to obtain a peaceful settlement of the Italo-Abyssinian dispute was an indication of the public interest taken in that issue and the concern which is alwavs shown when an.\ mention is made of the transference ol British territory. The Tunes states that, when it is considered bow far the ramifications of the dispute extend and its possible consequences in allecting not only the peace of the world but the whole future of tile League of .Nations, the contribution toward a peaceful solution that Britain was prepared to make was not unduly high. Lite oiler inning been rejected is now n matter of past history, says the Times, but the British Government '» still straining every nerve to find a peaceful solution which can be reconciled with the principles of the Covenant of the League. Incidentally the paper describes as strange the paradox of diplomacy that authoritative sources in Italy should now In, advocating the expulsion of Abyssinia from the League as unworthy to be a member, while the British Government, having accepted her member- i g hip under Franco-Italian pressure. ! should find itself the champion of j League principles on her behalf. [