Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-10-03
War!

Despite feveriSh months of preventive
effort by the League and its dominant
members, Great Britain and France, the
unbelievable has come to pass. War
has broken out in Africa. According to
credible reports, italian troops have en-
tered Ethiopia at three points, near
Adowa in the northwestern sector of the
Eritrean front, farther east close to the
junction between Eritrea and French
Somaliland and in the south from
italian Somaliland. Fighting has taken
place and casualties are reported, first
indications of furious conflict between
the highly trained and well armed forces
of Italy and the poorly armed but des-
perately courageous masses of Eth
opianS
"A solemn hour is about to strike in the
history of the country" II Duce thun-
dered last night to millions of Italians
assembled in a Fascist mass mobiliza-
ton. I'VE have been patient with Ethi-
opia for forty years. 1t is enough now"
he added, amid the frenzied cheers of
his subjects in every nook and corner of
the peninsula. Thus, a bare seventeen
years after that November Armistice
day which was to Signalize the end of
fratricidal strife among the nations, war
raises its ugly head again. Civilized man
kind, dismayed and disillusioned, faces
in CONSERVATION and anxiety the meal
culable consequences which may ensue,
not only In Africa, but in Europe and
throughout the world, from this tragic
breakdown of international peace ma
chinery.
If it turn out that Italy has I'M
provokedly resorted to military &C
ton which would automatically brand
her as the aggressor, the League,
in accordance with steps already taken,
will presumably proceed to impose
: sanctions. Intensive diplomatic ne
gotiations between Great Britain and
brought about final agreement for joint
economic and financial pressure against
Italy once it is formally decreed. French
reluctance to join in coersive measures
seems to have yielded in the face of
German assurances, obtained by London,
that Hitler would neither make common
cause with Italy nor exploit the situation
as an opportunity for attacking France.
The stage, therefore, is set for that
collective resistance with which II Duce
has consistently been threatened if he
renowned the agencies of peace in favor
Of the brute force of war.
In the defiant outburst addressed to
his adherents on Wednesday, Mussolini
=, held out the prospect that economic
sanctions would not necessarily lead to
war. To them, he Illuminated, I'VE shall
answer with our discipline, our spirit of
sacrifice, our obedience. To military
sanctions we shall reply with military
measures. To acts of war we shall re-
spond with acts of war" BY military
sanctions" and "acts of war;" the Roman
dictator unquestionably means reprisals
like the closing of the Suez Canal and a
blockade of the Italian coasts by British
and French fleets.
Amid his bombast that nothing can
now stop the wheel of Fascist destiny
a larger place in the colonial sun-Mus-
solini does not conceal his fears of
European complications. He refuses to
believe that either Britain or France
would permit blood to be spilled in
Europe, and "sacredly pledges" himself
to do everything in his power to prevent
colonial conflict" from taking on the
aspect and weight of European war"
II Duce only thinly wells his belief that
such catastrophe is possible devel-
opment of tomorrow" as, of course, it is.
The League, in the teeth of a situation
over which it has obviously lost control,
Is sure to make last desperate attempt
to check the war, which is now in its
first stage. Failing to do so, sane
tons will be imperatively in order. Un-
less they are enforced, all concerned
must be aware that the last vestige of
League prestige and authority will dis
appear beyond redemption. The pre-
vailing temper in London and Paris,
notably in the British capital, indicates
that Italy is altogether likely to find
herself subjected to sanctions. On the
face of things, they should eventually
bring Mussolini to terms, but sanctions
will not be applied for weeks to come.
BY that time, in light of fast-moving
events, East Africa may be drenched in
blood and the italian campaign in Ethi-