The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-10-24
new EMPEROR
CALLED KIN OF
KING SOLOMON
Abyssinian Ruler, to Take
Throne Soon, Traces His
Line to Bible Times.
oUTWITS BIG POWERS
East African Nation, Rich
in Resources, Coveted
by Europeans.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
Scripps-Howard Foreign Editor

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24.-AbOut
5000 years ago the queen of Sheba
left her mountain home in Ethiopia
to pay visit to the renowned King
in Jerusalem.
Of that visit, it appears, a son
was born and Sunday week, Nov. 2.
just as the equatorial sun begins to
peep over the hills, a lineal de-
scendant of this regal pair will be
crowned emperor of Abyssinia, in
the presence of a brilliant gather
ing of special ambassadors from
America, Britain, France, Italy and
the other great powers.
And thereby hangs tale, as the
saying goes, which goes to prove
that at least some of King Sol
onions wisdom was endured. For
Ras Taffari, king of kings and con-
quering lion of Judah, is playing
game worthy of Solomon himself.
Huge, Unexpected Area
Abyssinia commonly is regarded
as the greatest unexpected area
left in the world. 1t is about the
size of the New England states,
New York, and the rest of the At
lantic seaboard down to and in
Guiding Florida.
Its climate ranges from some
where around the boiling point in
the deep valleys to temperate in
the uplands. It can grow most any
thing, is believed to hold many
minerals, and certainly it has water
power enough to set Africa ablaze.
Situated in East Africa, it is just
few miles back from the Red sea
and Gulf of Alden, Britain'S water
route to India. To the west lies
the Sudan, key to Egypt. Together,
the Sudan and Abyssinia furnish
the waters which make the Nile,
without which Egypt would be just
another part of the Sahara desert,
where not a sprig of grass would
grow.
1t happens that Britain, France
and Italy would give most anything
to have Abyssinia, and nobody
knows this better than Ras Taffari.
Highly educated by French tutors
brought out for that purpose, he
knows his history and geography.
Surrounded by Greed
To the north, east, south and west
of his kingdom are strips of terri
tory-FTench Somaliland, Italian
Somaliland, British Somaliland,
Eritrea, Uganda, Anglo Egyptian
Sudan, and SO on-outposts of land
greedy empires.
Ordinarily rich country like
AbySsinia could not endure twelve
months under the avid eyes of such
powerful neighbors. But in Ras
Taffari's veins surges the blood of
Menelek, son of the lovely Sheba
and Solomon the Wise.
Every now and then one of three
powers-Britain, Italy and France
tries to put something over on this
many-times great grandson of Solo
mon, but he proves too clever for
them.
His plan is simple, but effective.
He plays one against the other.
When too closely pressed, he ap-
peals to the League of Nations and
turns on the great white light of
worldwide publicity and so wins his
point.
Of late this gifted person has de-
cided to add another weapon to his
battery. He is playing up to the
United States. American techni-
clans, engineers, and other experts
have been invited to help western
ize Abyssinia and soon millions of
dollars of American gold will be in
vested over there.
Americans Get Advantage
To the amazement Of the more
strategically placed British, French
and Italians, Americans of late have
seemed to be getting the breaks.
The answer is not so hard to
guess. OF course the fame of Yam
kee ingenuity has spread even to
Ethiopia, but this scion of Solomon
has yet another reason for calling
in American brains and capital.
He knows perfectly we'll that the
United States hasn't the faintest
intention to swallow his country
and, as was the case with China
about 1900, it would oppose any
otheY. mower dining SO
He is 81 years old, handsome, and
dignified.