Evening star., 1935-08-26
Natives Flee City;
Italy's Legation
Packs Up.
u. S. PROPERTY LISTS
ARE UNRECOCNIZED
Expectation of Foreign
Money Is Halted.
Thaler Drops.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Adds ABABA. August 26.-The
Italian Legation today began the re-
moval of its archives from the Ethio-
plan capital as thousands of native
men, women and children started to
evacuate the city.
The Belgian Minister asked Emperor
Halle Selassie's permission for the
American and other foreign legations
to bring in emergency troops as the
British are doing for the protection Of
these diplomatic missions.
The natives began leaving in ac-
cordance with Emperor Halle Selas-
sizes verbal orders of last Saturday.
but they did not wait for his sug-
gestion that they depart seven days
after war might be declared. Already,
most of the Italians who were resi-
dents in Adds Ababa had left.
The Italian Legation dispatched 50
cases of official archives to Djibouti
by railroad.
without panic. thousands OF men.
women and children, believing war
may come at any moment. departed
for villages in the interior. The
evacuation does not apply to for
eigners, who will be governed by the
advice Of their legations or who will
pursue their own course.
The Ethiopian government today
warned the United States and other
legations that the inventories Of prop
erty which the legations-ordereo
their nationals 10 prepare-ostensibl
with view to possible indemification
by Italy or Ethiopia in the event of
damage by war-will not be recog-
nized by Ethiopia. The government
regards such listing by interested
parties as arbitrary and inaccurate.
State Department UnnOtified.
1.-THE State Department had no in
formation today of any communica-
tions concerning an inventory of
American property. The department,
it was said, has not directed the
| charge d'aHaires to take such action,
/ but it was possible that the legation
to keep the records straight-had re-
queSted Americans 10 make individual
The warning was issued rs the
Ethiopian thaler fell sharply and En-
peror Halle SelaSSie and his empress
began month of prayer and absten-
| ton from meat
The thaler fell when the Emperor's
American adviser, Everett w. Colson.
recommended that the government
forbid the expectation Of foreign
money from the country.
The thaler which formerly was 2.60
to the United States dollar. fell to
800. The National Bank, which has
a monopoly over the finances Of Ethi-
opia, refused to sell dollars or other
foreign currency and also declined to
accept the thalers in payment Of for
eign obligations The action caused a
panic among merchants. who insti-
tuted moratorium, refusing to honor
personal or business engagements.
The warehouses of the country are
choked with foreign merchandise for
which the merchants are unable to
pay because of their inability to Sc
cure foreign exchange.
The National Bank advised the
merchants to dispatch their stocks to
Djibouti. French Somaliland, where
it was said they could be sold, but
the banks and merchants there de-
cined thalers unless for silver ex-
portland the expectation of silver
from Ethiopia is forbidden under pain
of death.
The population Of the countryside
was reported following their sover-
eign's example in fasting. even the
wild warriors whose principal diet is
raw meat. AS a special example the
Emperor will fast four days longer
than his subjects.
Services Held Daily.
Special peace services are held in
the churches of the countryside, the
chimes tolling out daily.
Princess Tsahai. 16-year old daugh-
ter of the Emperor, has enrolled as
the first student in the newly-estab-
lisked American Nurses Training
School.
The princess. educated in England,
Switzerland and sFrance, speaks nine
languages, including African dialects.
She will take the 3-year course pre-
scribed for American nurses together
with group of other Ethiopian girls.