MAGALO BOMBED

Taranaki Daily News, 31 October 1935, Page 5

MAGALO BOMBED

STRONGLY FORTIFIED SLOWNESS OF ADVANCE COUNT VINCI SURPRISED KINDNESS TO CONQUERED POLICY OF THE ITALIANS By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rome, October 29. Italian aeroplanes have bombed Magalo, 250 miles south of Addis Ababa. The pilots assert that Magalo is strongly fortified and there is a large Abyssinian concentration in the vicinity. Noel Monks, the Sun-Herald’s correspondent, states: “By special permission of the Emperor I was allowed to travel from Addis Ababa to Djibouti with Count Vinci (the Italian Minister). In Count Vinci’s carriage travelled 50 Abyssinian soldiers, as it was feared that savage tribes en route might attack. Count Vinci is a broken man. He is unable to understand why Abyssinia has not already been conquered. ‘lt should have taken only two weeks; something has gone wrong,’ he told me.” The special correspondent of the Times at Asmara emphasises that as they advance the Italians are scrupulously respecting the people’s religious susceptibilities, property and personal liberty. The general object is to show that the advancing organisation is highly civilised and is intended to benefit the population, hitherto at the mercy of cruel and rapacious rulers. Instead of being indiscriminately bombed, local Abyssinians are astonished to find that the Italians treat them kindly and pay well for all supplies. Hospitals and cinemas have been established in the occupied areas. Both Coptic and Moslem clergy are being accorded a degree of recognition and protection never before received. READY TO DESERT. The military front is still 30 miles from Makale, bqt local leaders and clergy have already given unmistakeable signs of readiness to go over immediately to the Italian side. “I have just had a pathetic conversation with the Abyssinian Minister,” said Mr. Lloyd George, addressing the Peace Reconstruction Council. “Britain is supplying Italy through the Anglo-Iran (Anglo-Persian) Oil Company, of which I think we are the largest shareholders, with oil used in aeroplanes which are bombing women and children. Tanks and submarines are also being supplied. “The Anglo-Iran Company say that if we do not supply oil, the Americans will. Oil magnates are very powerful. When shall we have a Government which will stand up to people of that sort for righteousness?” Sir John Cadman, chairman of the company, in an interview said that oil was being supplied completely in accordance with the sanctions—cash on delivery. From November 5 Italians will be unable to buy any meat on Tuesdays, says a message from Rome. There will be no beef, pork or chicken on Wednesdays. This proclamation followed a long meeting of the Fascist Confederation, at which Signor Mussolini declared that there would be no rationing of bread oxcereals, and it was not intended to-issue ration cards.