The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-12-13
TREND OF WORLD AFFAIRS
Prepared by
Lucy Meacham Thruston

CAN ITALY MAKE ETHIOPIA
PAY? Pay not only for the war IT.
SELF the invasion she is making, but
pay in the end. Suppose in the end
she did really gain control of Eth
opia, would it actually pay, not in
world opinion or in Italy's standing
before the nations, but In dollars
and cents? The cost of the Ethiopian
invasion so far is estimated at 4,OOO,-
100000 lire-that is cash expended.
This does not take in account the
loss in dead and wounded soldiers,
in those who may for the remainder
of life, should they return home, be
victims of malarial troubles, OF
blindness (for it has just been made
public that Italy has had to establish
colony on one of her islands for
treatment of those suffering from eye |
trouble and actual blindness caused
by the blazing African sun and other
climatic conditions and suppose
all of such efforts brought Ethiopia
to her control, what would she do
with it and does she really need this
ancient land? How much did Japan
need Manchuria and how successful
has she been in controlling it, In
seeking to develop it and COLOMBO 1t?
Latest words are not encouraging on
this point The tremendous cost to
Japan, the difficulties of those Jap
anese colonists seeking to settle there |
and most recent of all to be recog- |
nized, the rivalry between Japanese
home industries and those they have
established with pains and cost In
Manchuria are now becoming public.
To use homely illustration is it to
be case of tail wagging the dog?
But Italy? Italy already has Err
trea, Italian Somaliland and Libya in
Africa. According to statistics none
of these has paid. Her imports
from these colonies, taking the
latest available figures Chose OF
1922 amounted to only l % of her
total imports. To Libya her ex-
ports were larger than her imports
because Italy was sending 20 that
African colony goods to be used in
Libyas development, these goods
being more or less a gift to the de-
velopment of that country. In Err
trea and Somaliland imports and ex-
ports are about even.
Italy is known to have spent be-
tween 400, 100000 lire and 100000
900 lire in upkeep of her African
colonies in 1884. Her budget for
1885 calls for expenditure OF
100000 for the same cause. If
she should take control of Ethiopia
the cost of keeping the fierce Eth
opian warriors in crarge will, in all
probability, be yearly tax running
up into the hundreds of millions OF
lire.
b From the many investigators who
are now making East Africa their
goal comes the word that the natural
advantages of Ethiopia have been
much overrated. AS for oil and
minerals, the amount of either is yet
to be determined. AS for climate,
while that of the central plateau is |
temperate, the amount of torrential
rain and of sticky, clinging mud in
summer must be taken into account |
Eritrea, next door and already in
Italian possession has better
climate, since it is minus the heavy |
rains, rich plateau region and yet
the entire number of Italians and
Europeans who have settled there is
less than 5000. Somaliland has
fewer Italian jewellers. Libya 3d.
900, most of these having gone at
Govrnment expense, Italy having
sent them out somewhat as the
United States has recently sent
colonists to Alaska.
France is facing this same ques-
ton of high upkeep of African col
onies. Consideration of the object
lessons presented by Manchuria, !
Morocco, Italian Africa arouses this |!
question: Does conquered territory |
nav?