Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-07-14
Italy's Case.

British Foreign Secretary Hoare con-
cedes that Italy is justified in her long
ings for colonial expansion. Her case
is epitomized by the historian, H. l..
Hoskins, in these terms:
When Italy emerged a nation from
the unification process, unduly conscious
of her Roman heritage, she found her
self without the dependencies and colo
NAL trappings characteristic of world
power. To this sentimental need adj
hered more tangible motives for colonial
acquisitions. Italy was largely overpopu-
lated, poverty was widespread, trade was
undeveloped. 1t was natural, therefore,
that Italian imperialists should turn
covetous eyes to the littoral OF North
Africa, which was anciently under Roman
rule and more recently had become the
home of thousands OF Italians"
Modern Italy's colonial venture began
In 1870. Since then she has acquired
roundly 600 900 square miles Of territory
in Northeastern Africa. including Eritrea,
Somaliland and Libya. the latter con-
sisting of the former Turkish provinces
of Tripoli and Cyrenaica. But none OF
these lands has proved suitable for large
scale Italian colonization. Abyssinia,
especially its uplands, is attractive to
Italians. and MusSolinis people have
looked in its direction for forty years.
In 1896 their attempt to conquer the
territory was repulsed when the Italian
Army suffered a crushing defeat at
Adowa. To wipe out this stain on its
escutcheon is one of the avowed causes
of Mussolini's present threat to Abyssinia.
In 1906 France, Great Britain and Italy
signed an agreement whereby the 1tali-
ans were granted the right to build a
railroad across Abyssinia. In the secret
treaty of London of 1915, which estab-
lished the conditions under which Italy
entered the World War on the side OF the
allies. it was provided that If the French
and British increased their African ter
ritories at German expense, Italy would
be entitled to equitable compensation.
France and Great Britain subsequently
made the Italians certain territorial
grants. but their demands were never
fully satisfied.
For the past year Italy has made un-
disguised moves looking to extension OF
her African domain at Abyssinian ex-
pense. Her military strength in ad-
iacent Eritrea and Somaliland was
steadily increased. In November, 1884,
there set in a succession Of frontier in
cidents which eliminated in the affair
at Ualual, where thirty Italian colonial
soldiers and ITO Abyssinians were killed.
Emperor Halle SelaSsie claims that
Ualual is within Ethiopian territory ana
that the Italians were the aggressors.
He refused any sort of an apology or
indemnity, as demanded by Italy, and
called upon the League of Nations to
insist upon peaceful settlement OF the
controversy. There matters stood this
Spring when Mussolini began his pro-
gram of intensive preparations for war,
to force the Ethiopians into submission
to demands for economic, political and
military rights that would practically
convert Abyssinia into an Italian pro-
tectorate.
Italy has a surplus population OF
roundly 100000 a year. She has seen
the other European powers acquire fertile
African territory for colonizing purposes.
Abyssinia is the one remaining spot IN
Africa held useful for Italy's objects.
1t is believed to be rich in agricultural
and mineral resources and Italians have
been led to expect that vast wealth
awaits them in exploiting deposits OF
gold, platinum, copper, oil, coal, iron
and sulphur.
Mussolini accuses the Ethioplans OF
perpetuating slavery. and contends that
Italy has civilizing mission to destroy
it. II Duce has said that he will be
satisfied with nothing but complete
solution" of his differences with Halle
selassie. BY that it is well known that
he means Aybssinia's addition to
Fascism's African realm. For its control
or acquisition he is ready to spend
lavishly of italian life and treasure,
mindless of the risks involved in cam
paign on remote foreign soil, where
pestilence, lack of water and almost in
surmountable typographical conditions,
to say nothing of resistance by race
of fanatical tribesmen battling des-
perately for their independence, will
make military victory costly, difi1cult