Evening star., 1935-07-07

fne dispute OcLUeeH LHe LUO
countries and pictures the problems
confronting each in the epent OF
conflict.
~ the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, July 6.-Europe. in
cluding Italy. is firmly convinced that
as soon as the rainy season ends In
September, Italy and Ethiopia will 60
to war.
Italy accuses Ethiopia of having
permitted native encroachments on
italian territory in Africa; Ethiopian
sources allege that if Italy attacks
the act will be unprovoked aggression.
Although a commission now is at
work to determine the cause OF con-
fict, no one seems to be paying much
attention to its proceedings; on the
contrary, military experts, accepting
the war virtually as inevitable, are
busily comparing notes on the COM
parative strength of the two probable
CombatantS.
The consensus seems to be that
Italy will have modern army OF
about one-quarter million men in the
field, and that Ethiopia is a very
tough country. A great many
authorities have pointed out that
Napoleon and his veterans had no
trouble beating the Russians, but that
Russia routed Napoleon.
Fighting More Than Troops.
What they mean is that the Italian
Army, no matter how we'll it may be
equipped for modern warfare, will be
a long way from home, fighting IN
another climate, battling mountains
and the tropics as we'll as the
Fthiopians, and will not be engaging
In modern warfare, even though the
year is 1885.
Ethiopia is what military men call
"cayalry terrain"-and the EthioplanS
are cavalrymen by inheritance, ira
dition and preference. The empire,
$4,000 square miles in area, Is
mountainous, with its lines of COM
munication often passing over points
more than 5000 feet above sea level.
In mountain passes, a squad Oh
cayalrymen in defense is worth
regiment of foot soldiers in attack
tanks and armored cars are worthless.
Furthermore, the Ethiopians claim
they will be able to put 100000 men
In the field and that they have 20O'-
900 men with arms already.
Another hazard the Italians must
face is that which confrontS any
modern army, the service OF supplies.
An Italian expeditionary force, given
victories and consequent advances
into enemy territory. must necessarily
extend its S. Q. S. farther and farther
from its homeland and coastal bases.
These lines must be guarded heavily
against surprise attacks.
On the other hand, the Ethiopians'
campaigning In their own land, can
live of the land They need little or
no service of supplies other than
ammunition requirements.
Had Internal DiSSensi0n.
Ethiopia previously has yielded to
Italy and Britain because OF internal
dissensions which split the empires
power.
The British smashed the power Of
King Theodore in Qiyi after six
Ethiopian districts had turned against
the Ethiopian monarch. Theodore
committed suicide.
He was followed in power by two
Kings, for now Ethiopia was divided,
Menelex of Shoa and John of Tigre.
John was a fighting man OF such
ability that in 1875 and 1876 he Sue
cessively whipped two Egyptian
armies which tried to penetrate Ethl-
opia, and he forced Menelek to sub
init to him.
1t was at this time that the quarrel
with Italy began. An Italian COM
pany bought the trading port OF
Assab, near the southern entrance OF
the Red Sea, in what now is the
Italian territory Of Eritrea, from the
local Sultan in 1870 and sold it to the
Italian government in 1882. Three
years later Italian forces occupied
Beilul, port just north of Assab Bay,
then moved into Massawa.
Established Garrison.
The Italians next established a gar
rison at Dogali. The Ethiopians asked
the Italians to withdraw. They re-
fused. In January, 1887, the Ethi-
opians killed more than 400 Of the
soldiers. Reinforcements were sent
from Italy. The British sent a peace
mission, which got nowhere.
King Johns dominion, meanwhile,
was attacked on another flank by
Dervishes, out of the Egyptian Sudan,
and the King was killed in battle.
March 9, 1889. His erstwhile sub
ject, King Menelek, promptly pro-
claimed himself King and concluded
the famous Ucciali treaty with Italy,
by which the Italian nation occupied
Asmara, now the capital of Eritrea.
Within four years, however, Meme
lex had grown worried about Italian
rapprochements with his always re-
bellious district of Tigre and 1t had
been discovered that the Italian ver-
sion of the treaty said Ethiopia was
bound to make use of Italy as a chan
mel of communications with other ma
tions, while the Ethiopian language
VeTSlOQ SdlQ IIlc use VI 4Odly WdS
optional. So Menelek denounced the
treaty.
The Italians advanced an army un-
der command of Col. Baratieri with
rapid successes into the Tigre region,
but Menelek raised force of 10000
men and took his position at Adua.
Italians Defeated.
Then came the defeat of which
Italy is still talking; defeat Italian
newspapers declare must be avenged.
Baratieri divided his army of $4,000
men into four brigades and attacked
Adua on March /, 1896. As each
brigade moved forward, the Ethiopians
smothered it. The Italians lost $500
white soldiers and 5000 native troops
killed and between $500 and 5000
captured.
The Italians advanced q large body
Of reinforcements to avenge the de-
feat, but the Ethiopians retired out
Of the way.