ABYSSINIAN WAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22402, 24 April 1936, Page 15

ABYSSINIAN WAR

ROAD TO CAPITAL DESTRUCTIVE TACTICS ITALIAN PUSH CIIEKED WARRIORS DIGGING TRAPS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, April 22 Despatches from Addis Ababa state that the bursting of Italian air bombs merges with detonations of dynamite with which the Abyssinians are hurling the road and its abutments in tons of shattered shale down the side of a hill in order to block the enemy's passage to the capital. The scene is a pass leading from the Shulameda Plain over Tarmar Bur, the barrier to the plateau on which Addis Ababa stands, 124 miles distant. Hundreds of workmen toil feverishly to divert streams to flood the road, which resultant waterfalls are tearing to pieces, rendering the progress of motorised units impossible. Warriors, too, are digging pitfalls to entrap armoured cars and tanks, and are constructing gun emplacements and strong posts. The first explosive charge was fired immediately after the passage of Dutch Red Cross iorries, and this severed communication between Dessj'e and Addis Ababa.

The Abyssinians claim that they repulsed Italian attempts to advance along the road over Tarmar Bur, subsequently routing an enemy column during a night attack. The Daily Telegraph's Addis Ababa correspondent corroborates the holding up of the Italian advance by the Emperor and the Crown Prince. The latter launched a frontal offensive north of Warra Hailu, while the Emperor, with remnants of the Imperial Guard strengthened by fresh levies, swooped down from the mountains north-west of Dessye upon the Italian lines of communication.

Both sides suffered heavily, but all the Italian counter-attacks were repulsed.

HEAVY RAIN FALLS INVADERS IMPEDED STORM ON SOUTHERN FRONT ROME, April 22 A message from Abyssinia states that a battld is raging at Salla Dingai, 72 miles north-east of Addis Ababa. Impeded by heavy rains, necessitating the remaking of roads, the despatch continues, all General Graziani's columns are advancing from the Giana Gobo battlefield in order to concentrate upon Sasa Baneh, on the heels of RasNasibu's retreating Abyssinians. These will be given no rest, in the hope of completing their disorganisation. It is reported from Mogadishu, Italian Somaliland, that a storm on Sunday broke over the whole southern front, interrupting'wireless communication and delaying flying. Flooded streams brought down hundreds of Abyssinian corpses. LAWS OF WARFARE ALLEGED VIOLATIONS QUESTIONS IN COMMONS British Wireless RUGBY, April 22 The Foreign Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, was questioned in the House of Commons to-day about violations of the laws of war by both belligerents in East Africa. In reply he recounted tho action taken by the League of Nations in recent weeks on this matter, and in particular the efforts made to obtain additional information which would enable tho Committee of Thirteen to decido what further steps it might appear to be proper to take. Mr. Eden reminded the House that the Committee had already, in connection with the alleged use of poison gas, expressed to the Italian Government its opinion that the use of such gases could not be justified as punishment for alleged atrocities of an adversary. Pressed, in supplementary questions, to say whether the allegations of both sides were well founded. Mr. Eden said: "It must bo a matter of opinion whether the documentary or other evidence so far available is sufficient to establish the facts clearly. In such cases it is necessary for a distinction to be drawn between individual acts of barbarism, if they are proved, and actions which, should they be established, would involve the responsibility of the High Command on either side. "So far as I am aware,*' said Mr. Eden, "everything possible has been done by the Ethiopian Government to provide adequate protection in case of need for British ambulance units serving with the Ethiopian forces." _ Asked what action the League proposed to take in the dispute after the new intensification by Italy of her aggression, the Foreign Secretary recalled the terms of the resolution of the Committee of Thirteen on April 20, which placed on record that the war was being continued . under conditions which had been declared contrary to the Covenant and which involved tho execution of obligations la:d upon members of the Leaguo in such a case by tho Covenant. ITALY'S NEW CREDITS TOTAL OF £24,000,000 ROME, April 22 New war credits for Italy total £24,000,000, including the following votes: War Ministry, £10,000,000; Air Ministry, £3,000,000; Navy, £3,000,000; Home Office, £1,000,000 ; Foreign Office, £7,000,000. The two last-named amounts are to cover grants to war victims and their dependants. DUTCH RED CROSS DEPARTURE FOR HOME THE H -GUE, April 22 The members of the Dutch Red Cross, all of whose possessions at Dessye and Quoram are in Italian hands, are leaving Abyssinia.