The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-11-01
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cause for excitement
in his own mind about the hostilities
between Italy and Ethiopia. The fight
ing Is so far away, he said, and the
nations involved are of such compara-
tive insignificance In the whole world
structure that he found no reason at
all to do more thar read the black.
faced headlines about the trouble as
they appeared from day to day in the
great metropolitan newspapers.
We were, at the time, vending a
rather slow way around the golf links
Of the Congressional Country club. The
course Is set In the midst of fine farm
ing country and my friend used the
situation as basis for his argument
that there was little reason for any of
us to take the Italian Ethiopian trou.
BILE seriously
"How can II make very much diff
ference to u.s." he asked with a wave
of his hand toward the fine farms and
splendid homes within sight. "when we
have nation so admirably supplied
with resources of which those are typ.
ical? We can live even If the trouble
broadens. If necessary we can close
our shores to foreigners and keep out
of the trouble"
Unwlttingly, my friend supplied a
text. In fact. he supplied two Of them
The man in question is able. has a
oo0d hroip ouA 10 1oeno hfc fnh On kic
factorily. but 1t Is his first connection
with the government in an official ca.
pacity. He has not had training here
tofore that fits him or equips him to
deal with broad international ques
tons In time his views will change
Of that | have no doubt, but the fact
remains that bis attitude on the Ital
ian-Ethiopian situat on marks him as
one Of countless hundreds of govern
ment officials, past and present. who
are brought in and given responsible
posts without regard to their under
standing of all Of the problems whic.
they must meet.
The other text which my friends
conversation suggested is what inter-
est do we have in the African war;
Most individuals will agree that at
tie moment we are in no danger and
that Immediately there is no prospect
of any kind of trouble insofar as the
United States Is concerned but 1t is
not the immediate prospect that we
must consider. 1t is not the immediate
prospect that caused Secretary Hull Of
the State department to declare and
to reiterate that the objective of present
American policies is to keep this coun-
try out of war. That was the reason
congress enacted the so-called neutral
ity resolution and that was the reason
President Roosevelt placed an embargo
against the shipment of arms and mu-
nitfons Of war to the present bellig-
erents. Again. 1t is not the present,
but where we go from here that con-
Germs us.
Undoubtedly congress did a popu-
lar thing when 1t adopted the resolu
tion designed to pre-
europe vent development of
Ponder KeR circumstances which
may place us on the
verge of the cataclysm. say the &C.
ton was popular because there has
been no indication from any important
quarter, except from traders whose
business has been handicapped, against
the official policy enacted in that res
OlutiOn.
But the end is not yet. In the first
instance. all of Europe is virtually u
powder key. Potential dynamite lies
in the differences between Russians
and Japanese. Their frontier can be
the scene of the fated overt act at any
moment. And, while the hope is for
settlement of all differences between
the Japanese and the Russians in a
peaceful manner, there Is no assur
ance that these can be so settled.
Since the Italian dictator, Mussolini
brszenly announced that he wanted
more territory for his people and pro
posed to get It at the expense of the
black men In Ethiopia, tension between
Great Britain and Italy has increased
from day to day. Backing and filling
between the British and the French
have been the regular order because
the British and the French have com
parable interests In Africa. Further, a
strengthened Italy means menace Of
a continuing character to her neigh
Dor, France.
The British have scores Of battle
boats In the Mediterranean sea. Those
ships are at anchor from which they
can be called into quick use. The Brit
ish say the feet Is maintained there
merely as a "precaution." MusSolini
knows better. He knows and every
one else will discover after even y
superficial examination of the situa
tion that The British will brook no
moves by Italy that threaten British
control of the Anglo-Egyptlan Sudan
nor will the British permit Mussollni
to gain contro' of such Ethiopian ter
ritory as will jeOpardize their super
vision over territory through which
the waters of the blue Nile flow. These
waters are essential to the British
SO 1t takes no stretch of the lmag