Evening star., 1935-10-25
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN

By CONSlAN1INE DhONN.
~ ISCUSSIONS to patch up the
British-Italian dispute in the
Mediterranean are now in
49, progress and. despite the
gloomy tone adopted by the British,
it is believed in well-informed quarters
in Washington that a settlement
might be reached in the course of this
month.
X X X
MuSSolini, who is probably more
anxious than the British to avert
row with the British, has made the
first move toward reconciliation by
ordering a whole division back from
Lydia.
He did this at LdpdPS bidding.
The French premier who is in
tight spot, between his desire to
keep Britain's friendship against
Germany and Itdly's support in
Central Europe. urged MuSsoltnt
the ofender-to make the first
gesture toiDard compromise.
There is another thing Laval has
in mind. If the British don't answer
to Italy's move by Withdrawing some
of their naval units from the Mediter-
ranean he has a perfect alibi when
he will refuse to get entangled in
an eventual British Italian conflict.
The last few days have been marked
by intense diplomatic activities at
Adds Ababa. in Rome and in London.
When Emperor Halle Selassie broke
| all known precedents and asked news
paper men at Adds Ababa to deny
| the stories that the Italians had made
themselves guilty of unWarranted hor-
rors in the present campaign he did
not act only as a wise man, but also
as shrewd politician.
Behind this gentlemanly state
ment there is much more than the
desire OF the Ethiopian monarch
to continue to be the gentleman he
has proved to be.
There has been some progress
topard Whdt wiI be undoubtedly
called "a pacific solution" OF the
Itdlo-Ethiopidn conflict.
The result will be that the Ethi-
opians are going to be made the scape-
goats-but that is nothing new.
u y y X
Under the leadership Of Premier
Laval, who is confronted with a seri-
GUS domestic situation as soon as the
French Parliament meets. the British
and the Italians have been talking
business.
The British cabinet has finally
come to realize that MuSsolini Is not
bluffng and that to drastic sanctions
he will reply with drastic actions.
Mussolini has understood that if he
gave real guarantees to the British
that he does not contemplate to ex-
pand into the Sudan and Egypt, the
British may forget that they are the
defenders of the faith in the League
of Nations.
Laval has co-ordinated the loose
strings from Rome and London and
has repeated his suggestion of six
weeks ago: Each Of you take slice
of Ethiopia and let's call 1t day."
The British seem inclined to sit
at the green table and carUe up
Ethiopia into seuerdl slices. Mus
solini wants to appear kind-hearted
and is disposed to dllotU Seldsste
to keep the neck OF the Ethiopian
bird for himself.
*
From what can be learned here, 1t
is said that II Duce is willing to ac-
cept those territories he has already
conquered as parts of the realm of the
Italian. kingdom. The highlands will
remain under Selassie's scepter, but
under a strict international-that Is
to say, British, French, Italian-con-
troll, with Italy having preponderant
voice in the advisory council.
The British sphere of influence will
not expand further than the southern
limits of the Tsana Lake.
France will get nothing. But she
will gain more than the others II she
can manag to keep Italy's and Great
Britain's friendship at the same time.
Emperor Halle Seldssie has been
told that he may remain on the
throne maintaining all his titles
and prerogatiues. Furthermore,
he Won't need to Uorry about
finances. The Italians tUiL haze to
look after that.
X X II
This scheme, which the British had
rejected a few weeks ago, has good
chances of being accepted now. The
Italians have always been anxious to
obtain a strong foothold in Ethiopia