NOT DEFEATED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 65, 17 March 1936, Page 7

NOT DEFEATED

ABYSSINIAN TROOPS ITALIAN CLAIMS GREATLY EXAGGERATED DEMALS BY SELASSIE [By Telegraph—Press Association—Cupyiighr| LONDON, Ma.ch 13. It is new cneur that itaiy’3 claim to defeating Alas Kassa, Has Seyoum, and Bas limn were grossly exaggerated* Bas s anti L-vs S^yju.ll s lorces are intact in Western TLmoien, and Bas iniru’s are nou only intact ana sound but have avoided contact with the enemy, and are ranging west and north o t Aksum. Dedjazmatch Ayelou, the ablest northern commander, recrossed, tins Takkaze River in order to waten the progress of the Italian invasion in Northwestern Abyssinia. Haile Selassie admits the Italian ad vauce, but denies that it was accompanied by defeat of the Abyssinian troops. A possible exception lo tuis was in the case of lias Mulugheta, who. misunderstood his instructions, held out too long, and withdrew too far. General headquarters did not accord him the customary cbituaiy honours, tie cut his way through Antalo and bcelicn in a retreat which was accompanied by great slaughter. A European eye-witness counted 1500 dead alp ne troops. Successful Raids. Dedjazmatch Wodaju, of Det-sye, hearing a false report of Haile Selassie’s death, retreated after lias Mulugheta to Amba Alagi. Ras Mulugheta, north of it, ordered the retirement of Bidodeu Makonnen, who refused and entered the Makale road behind the Italian Third Army Corps, and successfully raided beyond Antalo all of the Italian detachments guarding the communications. lias Kabada, given in a message on March 14 ac Ras Ebada, com manding Mulugheta’s and Bidoded’s armies, which are well supplied with arms and food, occupies a position north-east of the Italians at Amba Alagi. Dedjazmatch Wo.daju has also returned to the lighting line. The Aby stin ian s de n y the Italia n claim to the occupation of Sokota and the southern Takkaza \’alley, and view the northern situation favourably. lias Imru, Ras Kassa, Ras Seyoum. and Das Ayelou are all firmly, holding their positions. The only com mander considered in any way to have failed was Ras Mulugheta, whose mis takers, were attributed to his age, Raids on the Italian communications continue. The presence of Haile {Selassie has subdued sporadic northern revolts. Robbers are continually handing over Italian rifles and uniforms as evidence of their loyalty of the Galla irregulars. Bidoded’s troops bloodily repulsed two Italian battalions attempting to break through south of Amba Alagi. Oil Steamer Explodes. 'The Tunes Cairo correspondent says that the Italian tramp steamer Marcnigiano, laden with, drums of benzine for the Italian armies, from Genoa for Assab, exploded W'ifihout warning 125 miles from Port Soudan and sank immediately. The captain, lin-t officer, and five of the crew are missing. The British steamer Brighton saved ten seamen, tili of whom were injured. The Brighton wirelessed the steamer Cheshire which took off the ‘victims for the attention of her surgeon and two doctors. Those rescued were landed at Port JSaid. SELASSIE’S VIEWS SAID TO BE CHANGING SHIFTING FAITH IN POWERS FEARS OF LEAGUE BARGAINING. LONDON, March 15. The Times’ correspondent at Addis Ababa, in a copyright message, states that Royal circles there fear that the Powers at the League Council meeting on March 16, in the absence of any Abyssinian delegation, may speedily end the Italo-Abyssinian dispute, imposing an armistice, with so-called common-sense peace terms, upon the belligerents in view of the Locarno situation. Any such tactics will be strenuously resisted by the Abyssinian representatives in Europe. There is a change, says the correspondent, in Haile Selassie’s attitude towards the League and European Powers. He still devotedly supports collective security, but his outlook is altering in view of what he considers to be the League’s disgraceful procrastination in applying the only sanctions which are capable of stopping the war, namely, financially assisting Abyssinia and placing an embargo on all war materials necessary to Italy. Haile Selassie is becoming an Ethiopian 0. the old warlike type, eager to get into fighting order and destroy the Italians or die like a negus. His communications with the delegations are becoming more impatient, and his dealings with the West will end if France and Italy attempt to raise the Abyssinian issue in London when bargaining for support against Germany and if other Powers accept such views.