Evening star., 1935-10-02
Troops Said to
Have Battled
Irregulars.
ROME DENIES
ARMY ADVANCE
Nationals of Italy
Are Ordered to
Evacuate.
BULLETIN.

PARIS. October 2 P).-The
Adds Ababa correspondent of the
newspaper Paris Soir reported today
that fighting between Italian and
Ethiopian troops had broken out in
the Mussa Ali region of Ethiopia
He reported that there had been
casualties.
previous reports from Adds
Ababa said there were no Ethio-
plan troops in the MusSa Ali vi
cinity)
The newspaper said three ad-
vancing columns of Italians. num-
bering Is 1000 men. battled with ir-
regular Danakil tribal warriors, but
that they had not yet engaged
Ethiopian regulars.
BY the Associated Press.
Adds ABABA. October 2.-High
authorities said tonight that Emperor
Halle Sela5sie will proclaim his gen.
eral mobilization of Ethiopian forces
at 9 am. II am. Eastern standard
time) tomorrow. The Emperor made
his decision. it was understood, after
O conference with his advisers.
At his direction they prepared a
note of protest to the League of
Nations against an alleged invasion of
Ethiopia by Italian forces. The pro-
test was dispatched to Geneva at
once.
The Emperor himself will proclaim
the mobilization from the balcony of
his palace. The order will be carried
out in the traditional Ethiopian fash
ion OF drum beats, which will be taken
up by other drum beaters throughout
the land as a warning echoing through
the valleys and mountains of Ethiopia.
2,o0O,0 May Respond.
1t is expected 100000 men will
be affected. The Emperors feudal
chieftains conferred lengthily at the
palace. Many of them said they be-
lieved war may break out even before
the arrival of the Italian consular
agents who have been called back by
their Minister from the interior.
The Italian consul at Aduwa was
arrested by Ethiopian authorities when
he attempted to cross the frontier into
Eritrea. He was escorted back to
Aduwa, but later released, and is re-
suming the same journey tonight
under an armed Ethiopian guard.
The note of protest, prepared by his
advisers-including Everett ColSon,
American-resulted from government
reports through French sources that
the Italians had penetrated from Erit-
rea into triangular portion of Ethi-
opia at Mount Mussa Ali
The Italians were said to have
moved in about $4,000 native Erit-
rean troops and fleets of motor trucks,
tanks and airplanes.
There are no Ethiopian troops in
the desolate region and, consequently,
it was said the Italians had been able
to construct airdromes, munition de-
pots and barracks without opposition.
Invasion Is Denied.
(The Italian government at Rome
denied officially that its forces had
entered Ethiopia, stating there has
been no movement" of troops.)
It was stated that the Italians have
moved into this triano oular arcade
scribed as roughly about Is miles
across-from Assab, Eritrea.
The center of the aviation and mill
tary bases was said to be Mount
Mussa Ali, which Is soon feet high
and surveys great stretch of Ethio-
plan desert.
The Ethiopians have no forces in
that area, it was stated, while the Ital-
ians have $4,000 native and white
troops at Assab.
The government statement added
that the Italians had completed six
roads leading from Assab to these
new bases. The roads were reported to
stretch a distance of go miles.
Since the government has no means
Of communication with this area. it
was said that it was uninformed Of
the size of the Italian forces supposed
to be quartered in the advance area.
The emperor's note read:
I'VE call to the attention of the
League of Nations that Italy has pre-
pared base of attack of great size
in the region south of Mount Mussa
Ali. The nearness Of this region to
the sea and its facility of access
through Somah would allow the Coun-
Gil (of the League) either to send
observers or to obtain confirmation
from the French government in Som
aliland that this is violation Of
Ethiopian territory"
In anticipation Of the possibility Of
air raids, the Emperor ordered all
hotels in Adds Ababa to construct
bomb-proof shelters.
There were predictions that, partly
(See ETHIOPIA. Page So