The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-07-02

Washington, July 2.-The real
story of what took place during
the momentous conversation be-
tween dapper Captain Anthony
Eden and pugnacious Benito
Mussolini, during their talk on
Ethiopia, has just been cabled
confidentially to the state de-
partment.
Young Eden used high pres
sure diplomacy. He presented
a carefully worked-out case. The
two chief arguments were:
1. That Mussolini must con-
slider the effect on the peace
of Europe if the Fascist gov
eminent in Italy were weak
ened.
2, That Mussolini must con-
siderd the effect on white mems
governments in Africa, If
Ethiopia should give Italy
real challenge.
Regarding the first, Captain
Eden reminded II Duce that 1t
was not conceivable that the
Ethiopian campaign wuolud re-
require more than the three
months which Mussolini has fig
ured. Proiongation of the war
would mean loss of prestige,
money, men. 1t might serious
ly weaken Italy's finances.
More important, he argued, 1t
might undermine the Fascist gov
eminent and should Fascism fall
ter, or be replaced by a weak
err government, the future of
European peace was put in real
jeopardy.
Italy To Be Keystone
Italy, the young Briton en-
phasized, was the keystone of
European peace. A weak Italy
would mean that Jugoslavia
might bite off the Adriatic coast
and Fiume. Or Hitler might
march into Austria.
Britain and France, Eden
argued, both depended on Italy.
Regarding the second point, ne
reminded the Fascist dictator
that it was not impossible that
Emperor Halle Salassie might
win. An Ethiopian army, heh
recalled, had been victorious
before.
And he painted graphic pic
the white mans prestige in
ture of what would happen to
Africa should Italian troops suf-
I~% YaIr
Italy's own colonies in Africa
face revolt from native tribes
men, but British, French and
other colonies would face trou-
BILE and bloodshed.
To this Mussolini turned a
deaf ear. If Britain and France
were SO worried about the situa-
ton, he replied, why did they not
persuade Emperor Halle Selassie
to yield to Italian wishes? Italy,
he said, wuold be glad to avoid
war.
Captain Eden replied that
Halle Selassie remained Emperor
of Ethiopia only so long as he
followed the patriotism of 100
per cent of the Ethiopian popu-
lation; that the minute he
showed signs of retreat, all too
many native princes were ready
to take his place.
Here the conversation dead
locked. Mussolini stated en-
phatlcalIy that Italy needed en-
pansion and was going ahead.
RetOrt
The other day General Hugh
s, johnson blurted forth the fol-
lowing criticism of the Presi-
dents Work. Relief program in
his daily column:
"The new Works Relief is
in part a new, II more ambi-
tious kind OF ieaf-raking.
There was no plan ready to re-
ceive the $4.00O,000.000, not
withdrawing the two years OF
effort and experience. We
don't know with sufficient ac-
curacy what we are doing. We
say we won't have q dole be-
cause we want 10 preserve the
HoIf.respect OF the unemployed
and yet a man can't get Job
on Work Relief unless he first
puts his name on the relief
rolls. O.. accepts dole, IL
may all be good practical
horse sense, but n looks like
$1,000 900, 900 worth OF boon.
dOggling 20 me-"
dust IN ll0uP ~ ~ Aztec
lMvneI,ing ilk diairibe, ,icnsraI