Evening star., 1935-07-20
Italy" Civilize" Ethiopia
Mussolini Declares It Is His Country's
Duty to World.
BY MRS. WILLIAM BROWN
MELONEY.

fore Halle Selassie /, emperor o
Ethiopia, appealed to his people Il
resist italian invasion, Premier Benit'
Mussolini, in an interview with me a
the Palazzo Venezia, said this:
After so years of well-meant bu
futile attempts, we are now determines
to settle once and for all the problem
Of our relations with Ethiopia. Ital.
fully realizes the mission of civilization
that she has to accomplish in Ethiopia
not only on her own behalf, but ais
on that of the whole Western World
Italy is determined TO fulfill such
mission by all the means at he
disposal"
This statement comes from a Mus
solini who Is strikingly in contras
to the Mussolini I interviewed sever
years ago. He is At. He is simple ant
direct. He speaks English carefully
academically, but with fine precision
He still sits at the far end Of the grea
hall In which he receives visitors, bu
he rises and walks half way to NEE
his guest.
He is calm, physically fit, trainec
down as though he had been through
Muldoon's courses. His eyes, still vivi'
and alive, are the eyes of the oil
Mussolini, but more disciplined. H
seems sure of himself. I was mos
surprised by his calm; in fact, fount
him more placid than the Theodor
Roosevelt Of my memory and tn
Franklin Roosevelt Of today.
I felt that he had not arrived at hi
Ethiopian policy impulsively.
Knows World Wide Situation.
There is no doubt that Mussolin
knows the European situation anc
knows his Italy, and it Is not likely
that any weak government will be ablt
to change his policies. He is certainly
aware of the internal dissension II
France, and he as surely knows thai
even the government If England Il
divided against itself in many Of it
foreign policies. The economic prob.
lens in France, the political disagree.
ment in England, the unpopularity o.
German policies, the divided loyaltie'
in America, the labor conflicts
throughout the world, all make back
ground upon which Italian solidarity
of thought stands out.
Mussolini knows definitely what HI
intends to do. He has known for {
long time; there has been no wavering
His colonial policies are now what
they have been from the beginning
and to an interested observer thi.
would seem a logical time for him u
put his whole house in order, and tht
people seem to be with him.
The first question I asked II Duct
was: will it be possible for you tC
settle the Ethiopian problem without
force? If you believe it must be set
tied in the interest of progressive civ.
ilization, will it be by force if peaceful
penetration fails"
Feels Peace Has Failed.
ITALY has tried for many years,
he replied, Ito establish friendly re
lations with Ethiopia In a mutual in
terest of the two countries. she ha!
been the only power N the world VIII,
has passed a treaty o: friendship will
Ethiopia, in 1923. II that treaty hat
been Loyalty complied with, 1t woult
have been possible to establish peace
full economic relations and open tina
country to Western civilization.
THE good will On the Italian sid
has, instead, been met by Ethiopii
with stubborn obstruction. Tn
treacherouS attack on Ualual, o pos
peacefully held by US foi many year
without any objection from tn
Ethiopian side, was nothing out tn
latest proof of the spirit of persist
ent hostility which hes lasted for 1
half century. Instead Of openin.
their country to our friendly pene
tration, the Ethiopians have concen
trated a huge force on our border
with a view to eXpelling us even from
our colonies.
Two More Glasses Called Up.
eff the Italo- Ethiopian dispute, o
which Ualual, once again, is not tn
cause but only one more symptom
cannot be solved IN a peaceful way
it would be unfair 10 lay the IeSpon
sibility at Italy's door. After 81
years of well meant but futile at
tempts we are row determined t.
settle once and for all the problem
Of our relations with Ethiopia. Ital
fully realizes the mission of civiliza
ton that she has 70 accomplish IL
Ethiopia, not only on her own behal
but also on that Of TIE whole West
ern world. Italy is determined t.
fulfill such a mission by all the mean
at her disposal"
1t was significant that MussoIini OF
that day, July II, had called out tw,
more classes for army service.
Attitude on League.
My next question was: "Is ther
any hope of the League of Nation
solving the Ethiopian problem?"
II Duce went on record with thi
answer:
ITALY has agreed to discussion o
the Ualual incident at Geneva, al
though the 1929 treaty provided fo
direct settlement and conciliation pro
cedure. By this course of actor
Italy gave mark of her high con
sideration to the Geneva institution
Italy, however, cannot admit as pos
sible a settlement by the League o
q dispute between herself and a coun
try admitted as member of tn
League under precise conditions tina
have not in the slightest way beer
fulfilled"
I brought up the question Of tn
treaty of 1888 regarding the free pass
age of warships and merchantmen II
peace and in war through the Sue
Canal. I wanted to know If Mussolin
regarded as valid the general reserva
ton that Lord Salisbury formulatet
at that time, and I asked him If Their
were any complications in the treat,
of 1888 which gave Great Britain tn,
right to close the Suez Canal for tn