Evening star., 1935-09-02

the Ethiopian frontier west OF AS
sab. The report was that the Ital-
ian force had entered the Damakil
country and that the natives were
abandoning their villages.
The Ethiopian Situation To-day.
The British. French and Italian Min
isters to Ethiopia were told by En-
peror Halle Selassie that he would
90 as he pleased in granting con-
cesSions. All three of the diplomats
made representations concerning
the oil rights granted United
States corporation.
The Italian cabinet was expected to
meet to formulate a national poncy
on the matter. The government
was anxious to fix responsibility.
Anthony Eden, British minister FIR
League of Nations affairs. went to
Paris to confer with Premier Laval.
1t was believed the Ethiopian oil
concession would be uppermoSt
Both will continue on to Geneva
for the League Council session
Wednesday.
A squadron of British cruisers and
destroyers arrived at Haifa, Pales-
tine. from Malta, increasing the
concentration of British fighting
ships near the entrance to the Suez
Canal.
BY the Associated Press.
Adds ABABA, September 2.-The
British, French and Italian Ministers,
upon instructions from their govern
ments, today made representations to
Emperor Halle Selassie concerning the
concession of oil and mineral resources
to an American corporation.
The African potentate only beamed
upon them and said he had right
to do as he pleased within his own
house.
Sir Sidney Barton, the British Min
lister, urged the Emperor to recall the
concession, but the latter only re-
piled, Peace be unto you" and re-
minded the British Minister one of
his own countrymen, Frances M.
Rickett, who negotiated the conces-
sion. was already soaring over the
African mountains to Europe with
signed and sealed charter in his pocket.
Legations Are Dumfounded.
The stupefaction caused in the for
eign legations by the Emperor's grant
continued. The feeling prevailed that
the soft-Spoken but astute little SOW
ereign had thrown an Ethiopian mon
key wrench into the international ma
chinery, upsetting all the calculations
and plans of the powers, and perhaps
forcing postponement of the League
OF Nations Council session.
Previously the Emperor told the
Associated Press that the pressure
of the British government would be
useless in making him revoke the con-
ceSSion
Surely" he said, "the British gov
eminent cannot interfere in conceS-
sion granted to the United States.
LAS sovereign state, we have the
right to do anything we please in our
own territory.
U. S. No Party to Treaty.
"The United States is not a party
to the 1906 treaty in which England, |
France and Italy merely pledged
themselves to do nothing to encroach
on the interests of others.
THAT is one of the reasons I gave
the concession to Standard Oil. AS
the agreement is already signed, sealed
and delivered, I do not see how it can
be recalled, if such a thing is sug-
gested by the British government"
Emperor Halle Selassie, who made
these statements in an interview.
turned to discussion of threatened war
with Italy. He said his warriors had
sufficient arms and his country sufh-
cient resources to carry on for some
time. But he attacked the arms en-
barge as unfair.
I'VE have not thought of ceasing
our efforts for peace, nor of resorting
to force to repel further invasion.
In the event that war is thrust upon
us, we expect that these arms en-
bargoes will be removed"
To Protect Foreigners.
Should the League of Nations fail
to halt war, the Emperor said. the
lives and property of Americans and
other foreigners within the African
empire would be protected to the limit
Of the Ethiopians' powers. The de-
tails of these protective measures, he
said, would be announced when and
If hostilities begin.
Pressed as to whether he would
cede territory to Italy to avoid war,
the Lion of Judah said:
"I do not wish to institute the prac-
tice of giving bribes in order to induce
potential aggressors to refrain from
war and respect their territorial obli-