Evening star., 1935-08-22
BY LAURENCE STALLINGS,

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S. S. AzAY LIE RIDEAU, August
81 (NANA).-There is no doubt in
the Italian mind that Italy will begin
its arduous colonization of the vast
and fertile Ethiopian plateau some
time in the latter part of September
Though the temper Of the italian
nation is not one of war, the military
problem is quite clearly understood;
its immediacy is hardly in doubt, even
in detail.
The armies of the House of Savoy
will attempt the advance along q
route which strategic necessity die
tates, no matter how great will be the
tactical cost. This route will lead
around the terrible Danakail deserts
from Eritrea to the uplands, which
begin their rise at 1900 feet and
ascend to impenetrable crags and al
most unknown peaks.
The line of advance must push
southwark and easterly, along the nat
ural salient which is dominated by
Adds Ababa. If fortune favors its
capitulation, then the Italians must
turn northward again, still easterly,
to italian Somaliland.
You may draw triangle, the base
line running from Asmara in Eritrea
to Mogadiscio in Somaliland, with the
apex resting upon Adds Ababa. A
plumb line dropped from this point
will fall along the railway which leads
from the Ethiopian capital to the
French port of Djibouti. The Italians
have already drawn these lines.
Military Scheme Mapped.
A new map of Ethiopia, issued by
the Institute Georgrafico de Agostini
now prints, in cartouche at one
corner. bird s-eye view of this as
tonishing military proposal, the tri-
angle being given in deep red. with
distances marked in kilometers: ex-
actly as a tourists map may give, in
the addenda, a delightful side trip
From Asmara to Adds Ababa is SOS
kilometers (432 miles,. From hence,
on the obtuse leg, 1t is also 1850
kilometers 1852 miles, to Mogadiscio
in Somaliland. The plumb line Of the
railroad stretches $50 kilometers (34l
niles to the Gulf of Alden.
This map is of immense signifi-
canoe, whatever illimitable diplomatic
possibilities it may suggest. For the
map omits all drawing Of political
boundaries between Italian and
Ethiopian frontiers. An Ethiopian
horseman, using this map. can be
reasonably sure of his situation, II
he is in the territory of the Somalis
which is governed by France or by
England. But were he to ride to-
ward the territory of the Italians, he
would face (on the new map) the
boundless sort of thing the Portuguese
were confronted by some thousand
years ago.
Boundaries to Be Redrawn.
The suggestion is that these boun-
daries must. be redrawn, at possible
military cost. The inference is that
they are eradicated forever; that the
Italian plan is to reach from the
Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean
When the Italians last came to Ge-
neva they were considerably embar.
rassed by their former maps; for their
own cards revealed Ualual (where the
present crisis originated) as being in
Ethiopia. Now there is new deck
to deal from. Ualual is terra incog-
nita, seemingly to be explored.
The Geneva meeting September
does not concern any Italian recently
interviewed. These say that no one
in the midst of the rather genera
horse laughs directed at the Kellogg
anti-war pact. has cared to note tha
Sir Edward Grey, British foreign min
lister, and Pierre Paul Cambon, French
Ambassador to London, back in 1906
were not unversed in Kelloggian dia
lectics.
The three-power pact of 1906 doe
signify the intention of the power
England, France and italy, to "co
operate" to maintain a status quo. Blu
this cooperation is limited by "bes
efforts" and there is nowhere in it an!
indication of a spirit beyond mere po
liteness of effort. No Italian cares II
discuss this pact. France is oul
friend" they say, courteously referring
In this way to the English agreemen