Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-06

Causes of the War in Abyssinia-Thc
Country md It's King.

Causes of the War in Abyssinia-Tht
Country and It's King.
The appalling disaster that has befallen
the Italian army operating in Abyssnia sud
denly directs the worlds attention to one
feature Of the policy of parceling out Africa
among the powers of Europe. Scarcely a
month ago the policy of aggression received
a sharp and bloody check when the valient
Beer Of the Transvaal met and captured the
British raiders under Jameson, Now comes
details Of the disastrous rout of the Italian
army in northeastern Africa, sent there to
establish Italian supremacy.
The history of Italian relations to Abys-
sn.a is needed to make ineligible to most
readers the crisis which has now be:allen
that nation. dozen or fifteen years ago
Italy was witnessing a scramble Of European
powers for pieces of Africa. 1t attempted a
feat Of colonizing for herself, thus leaving
Austria, as she is today, the only nation
in Europe without a colony Italy had got
bare foothold on the Red sea at a
place called Massowah. 1t is a
mere coaling station. The French
had a similar foothold on the gulf of Ia
jurrah. an arm OF the Red sea, little way
south of Massowah. The Italians, fired with
the idea of becoming a colonial power. edged
a little way at a time deeper and further
into Abysinnia, pushing at last far into the
interior, to place called Kassala, a few
Halfa, British outpost in Nubia. This place
Italy stiIl holds.
At the same time the Italians have forced
a way slowly south toward the border of the
Tigre state, forming the larger state they
call Erythrea, long. narrow territory par
allel to the Red sea and reaching below as
well as behind tho French post.
Abysinnia all the time has been in a state
of unrest through fighting among the native
chiefs, and the Italians were espousng the
causes Of some and opposing those Of others.
In time they exerted their influence for the
crowning of the Negus Menelik, emperor of
all Abyssinia. They made a treaty with
him by which Italy assumed protectorate.
Menelik attempted to tamper with the
treaty during its preparation and afterward
began to violate its provisions. He finally
declared that he had been deceived and had
never understood that it gave the Italians
protectorate. Italy however, had seen to II
that the European powers recognized the
treaty as valid document, even France
being pursuaded to acknowledge its force.
war with Menelik began six or more
months ago At that time there was great
deal of strife among the lesser chiefs against
each other. but the crafty king analyzed the
situation thus: "Abysinnia Is bone for
which jackal Italy Is crouching. Italy waits
to see us kill one another, so 1t may take
the bone, but she shall see us all unite the
moment she moves"
that only one small chief sides with the
Italians.
The war has been frightfully expensive.
The Italian army has had to journey over
range of tall. bleak and barren noun
tains, carrying all weapons. food and stores
OF every kind on mule back The italian
agltators against Crlspi have said: 1--WE
need more mules and legs generals"
The commissariat costs more than all else
combined, and severely strains the impoyer-
ished exchequer. The spectacle Of this ex-
penslye conflict for a burning desert land
with a few green patches in its valleys is
very ludcrous.
The Abysslnans are Christian people. OF
a faith closely allied to the Greek church.
The Mohammedans hate them, but hate the
Italians intruders more. Every day for
months the khalifa Of Khartoum, In the
Mahdl's mosque. has been proclaiming holy
war against the Italians and resortng to
terrible threats to all the faithful who re-
fuse to enlist under the banner. Just as