Evening star., 1928-03-11
BY WILLIAM RUFUS SCOTT.

Back Of the recent appointment OF Con-
sui Addison E. Southard at Singapore to
the newly created post OF Minister Res
ident Of the United States In Abyssinia
fnow officially referred to as Ethiopia,
are significant trade. diplomatic and in
ternational political factors.
A fiashlight was turned upon this
part OF the dark continent" toward the
end OF 1927 when the announcement
that an American engineering corpora
! ton was TO build dam on the Blue
Nile In Abyssinia caused considerable
fiutter In London, Paris. Rome. Cairo
and Washington.
We have treaty with Abyssinia
that gives us primary rights In the
waters OF the Blue Nile" said London.
and so the fact appears TO be. for IN
1902 the British. with customary fore
sight concluded a treaty with Abys-
sinia with the object OF safeguarding
the vital water supply for the adjoining
| Britis.. Sudan and for Egypt. which
| depends so much upon the Niles main
channel for its existence. The Blue
| Nile Is branch which has It's head
quarters at Lake Tsana. In Abyssinia.
! Paris and Rome Concerned.
Paris perked up its ears because
/ French Somaliland Is a border colony
OF Abyssinia and French interests con-
troll the only railroad In Abyssinia. run
ming from the French colony. seaport
OF Jibuti. 495 miles inland, 10 Adds
! Ababa. capital Of Abyssinia. Rome was
concerned because It's colony OF Eritrea
and Italian Somaiiland also border
Abyssinia ON the Red Sea and Indian
Ocean, and Mussolini is developing
every inch OF his countrys African pos
sessions. British Somaliland and the
British colony Of Kenya help 70 COM
pIete the ring around Abyssinia so that
IT has no outlet 10 the sea and its COM
merce must pass over one or another
of the foregoing colonies Of European
powers TO reach the outside world.
| Washington has no territorial inter-
fEtS 10 conserve. but is alert 20 the
trade possibilities. Thus the shifting
of Mr. Southard from the great com
mercial center Of Singapore~vwherc we
spend upward of s400, 900. 900 annually
Tor rubber TIN and other products, and
| Whefe The British are building a NAM
moth naval base to the comparatively
lnconhequential commercial post of Ad-
dis Ababa indicates that big moves may
be impending.
Minister Golithard knows his Near
East thoroughly. having held several
posts IN that part Of the world and
!
that he was selected for the new min
lhteriai post from class three, consular
service, over others In classes one and
Two, because Of special fitness More
over, Mr.. S0uthard IL personally ac-
qnainted with the Prince Regent Of
hbyssinia, itas Taffari, who expressed
cordial approval Of the appointment.
the elevation OF AbySSinia from a
consular status 10 the rank 0f minister
resident emphasizes the Importance now
attached to the country. This action by
The State Department. however, does
not carry with II any increase In SAL
hry VI Mr.. Southard. lie will continue
10 receive the " 900 salary paid 10 him
as consul until Congress makes the post
IN AhyssInia a fuIl-fiedged ministry
when the salary will he 10000. II
does not seem likely that Congress Will
10 This until the next session or later
1927 Trade Heiow ss0.0O0,
Our trade with Abyssinia for 1927
hardly VIII reach $4,000, which Is 4
bagateiie In Lhe huge total 0f nearly
so 900 900 900 for the world al large
but tbs United States Department al
Commerce and Department Df staIt
look beyond the pfesent. A survey ol