DEATH FOR COUNTRY

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19633, 20 July 1935, Page 7

DEATH FOR COUNTRY

APPEAL BY EMPEROR. BETTER TO DIE FREE, THAN TO LIVE AS SLAVES. United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright (Received July 20, 11.10 a.m.) ADDIS ABABA, July 19. “ He who dies for his country is a happy man,” declared the Emperor of Abyssinia after a review of his troops, in an appeal to young and old men and women to unite against the invader. He added: “ it is better to die free than to live as slaves. Signor Mussolini has declared that Italy is on a civilising mission, but he wants,to exclude a peaceful solution. He wants a bloody settlement of the old Adowa affair.”

A SIGNIFICANT STATEMENT. JAPAN’S INTEREST IN ABYSSINIA. CANNOT REMAIN UNCONCERNED. Uniled Press Assn.—lilec, Tel. Copyright. (Received July 20, 11.0 a.m.) TOKYO, July 19. The Foreign Minister lias announced that Japan ,is specially interested in Abyssinia economically and cannot remain unconcerned in the possibility,of war. Statements that Japan has assured Signor Mussolini that she will not interfere in Abyssinia are officially denied. AN APPEAL TO ITALY, CASE NOT OFFICIALLY STATED. BRITAIN’S PEACE EFFORTS. (Official Wireless.) (Received July 20, 12.30 ‘p.m.) RUGBY, July 19. The Secretary-General of the League (M. Joseph Avenol) has now concluded his visit to Paris, where discussions witli French Ministers look place. M. Avenol will return to Paris on Monday, when it is assumed, he will he Informed of the latest results of the diplomatic 'consultations. The newspapers state that the arguments addressed by the League to Rome, urging the desirability of efforts being made by Signor Mussolini to tuse the League of Nations machin ery for putting forward Italy’s case against Abyssinia, have not ycL been officially made public.

The British Government continues to be actively engaged, through diplomalic exchanges in Home and Paris in efforts to discover a means for a direct peaceful settlement of the ItaloEthiopian dispute. These efforts certainly will be continued until success is achieved or until the matter comes before the League Council. In the latter event it is hoped that Italy, as well as Abyssinia, will be prepared to submit at full and frank statement in order that the Council shall be fully informed upon all the facts in the case.

Members of the Council have been asked to hold themselves in readiness to attend the meeting which may be summoned about tile end of the month.

THE EUROPEAN SITUATION. CO-OPERATION OF ITALY. ESSENTIAL TO FRANCE. United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. CopiWtH. LONDON, July 18. The Paris correspondent of trie Morning Post says France considers that, whatever the rights or wrongs of the dispute between Italy and Abyssinia, the whole problem is of secondary importance, compared with the European situation, for a satisfactory solution of which the co-opera-tion of Italy is essential to her, especially in regard to the Austrian problem. France, therefore, will not consent to risk her friendship with Italy on account of Abyssinia, even though the question of the League ol' Nations principle is involved. Abyssinia’s conquest by Italy, in the French view, would be a lesser blow to the League than Italy's exit from Geneva. PAY OF TROOPS INCREASED. MAINTAINING THE MORALE. OTHER BENEFITS GIVEN. ROME, July it). Signor Mussolini, with the object of maintaining the morale of the troops in East Africa, is increasing their pay. Privates are to receive Is Sd a day. in Italy, corporals receive ‘ls and' corporal-majors, 2s -Id a day, but if they are in Somaliland they will receive an additional id a day each. Signor Mussolini also' lias increased Hie rations of Hie troops and improved Hie postal services. ( THE BRITISH ATTITUDE. POLICY OF NO-N-AGGRESSION. WILL NOT HE STAMPEDED. LONDON. July 10. ■ The Parliamentary iinter-Secretary to the Home Oftiee, Captain Euan Wallace, speaking at Mallon, said Hie Government did not intend to lie the “sole policeman’’ of the League of Nations. It was not going to he stampeded by belligerent pacifists into aggressiveness regarding the dispute between Italy and Abyssinia-