NATIVE DEFECTIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22240, 15 October 1935, Page 9

NATIVE DEFECTIONS

FIELD FOE INTRIGUE . jjfr;, _ ' » : ITALY'S OPPORTUNITIES RIVALRIES OF ROYALTY INFLUENCE ALONG FRONTIERS Nasibu, the AbyJmian commander of Harrar, is reported to have said that his army will perish to the. last man before the Italians conquer his province. Upon the same day Gugsa is said to have gone over with his force of 12,000 to the Italians in the north, while, from fi.-me, comes the report that Gugsa will bo set upon a throne in that part of the country. Those who have studied Abyssinian history will not be surprised if the loyalty of 6ome of the tribesmen to Abyssinia as well as to Italy - ( is unstable. When the British Expedition of 1868 under General Napier was sent into the country it found great discontent with the rule of Emperor Theodore and the invaders were received in some places with open arms. The Royal Houses The Emperor was deposed and Prince Kassai of Tigre was crowned, taking the title King John IV. King John, who in 1889 was fatally wounded in his victorious battle against the Mahdist forces at Gallabat, was. succeeded by Menelik 11., King of Shoa, the province of the south. When he died in 1913 the crown went to Lij Yasu, son of his second daughter, who had married the chief of the Wollo Grllas. In 1916 he was deposed by public proclamation, and the throne fell on Zauditu, a daughter of Menelik, and the present Emperor, a greatnephew of Menelik, was proclaimed heir.

To-day Gugsa is declared by an Italian newspaper to be the only legitimate descendant of Solomon and the Queen of Slieba, being the great-grand-son of King John. Incidentally, it might be mentioned that the deposed Lij Yasu, who is about the same age as the Emperor, lives' in a palace in the Harrar district, but iB a prisoner to the -extent that he is not allowed outside the compound. It is evident, therefore, that "royal" rivalries are sufficiently plentiful in Abyssinia to provide wide opportunity for intrigue and conspiracy, particularly when Italy is prepared to use money and promises to foment disloyalty. There are numbers of families claiming royal blood in which tha seeds of sedition might be cultivated by well-provided agents of Italy. Paat Experience

Italy, however, has cause to suspect the permanence of transferred loyalty. It was with the support of Italy that Menelik ascended the throne, but ill was not long before that monarch, ap< prehensive of ijie increasing friendli« ness between the Italians and two of the northern chiefs, Mangasha and Tigre, denounced the Uccialli Treaty,. Soon followed trouble between the Italians and Mangasha, who crossed the frontier with an army to help the dervishes, with whom the Italians were engaged. The Italian general, Barati* eri, who was afterwards the victim o( Adowa, gave and was vie* torious. Thereupon Menelik marched to the aid of Mangaslia, and Adowa wan the culmination of :this conflict. In this brief pie&e of history there is a perplexing number of cross-cur-, rents which are not a happy augury for loyalties', changed by influence and money, having an abiding character. Both Sides Affected It is torday suggested that Italy's! next big objective in the nprth will be the Tigre province. Here Italian influence and bribery should have fairly: easy play, because half the Tigre peoplel are included in Eritrea. There is, how-' ever, nothing new in the campaign of penetration by intrigue. Months ago it was stated that Italian agents were active along the borders in fomenting rebellion and desertions of native levies to Abyssinia were being reported. During six months, it is stated, 6000 Somalis joined the Abyssinians in Oga* den from Somaliland, bringing with them riflps, horses, and other equip* ment. 4

Suspicion on both sides must exist so long as contact between the twflj forces is virtually confined to the fron* tier fringes, because a line on a ma{| does not necessarily mean the aligni ment of immediate native interests# Evidence of this suspicion was Bhowijj by the Emperor not long ago Yasu, the deposed king, asked from hiq palace prison for a force of 15,000 men! to lead against the Italians. The offei was declined because of "lack of coivi fidence." The Core of the Country On the information collected fronj many sources there is no justification for the belief that defections will seriously undermine Abyssinian resistance to the invaders. The dominating race is fiercely loyal, scores of local rulers made special visits to the capital to express their allegiance, and throughout the country there is a strong antipathy toward the white man in general* According to Mr. Adrian Buxton it is due to the nationwide distrust of the white man that the Emperor has found it difficult to carry out reforms and bring forward his country in the path of modern progress. It is questionable whether young Gugsa, who is now swaggering about an Italian camp in a bright uniform, has any love for Italy or Italian rule in his heart. Probably he is more closely allied with the swift riflemen of the hills so far as hopes for the future of their country are concerned.