The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-08-01
Britain Is Determined to
Prevent Rome Gaining
Control of Ethiopia and
Vital Lake Tsana.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
Scripps-Howard Foreign Editor

WASHINGTON. Aug. Should
Italy persist in using her army to
acquire protectorate over Ethiopia
today regarded as virtually inevi-
table-a grave clash with Britain
will almost certainly follow
1t is this eventuality, 1 am au-
thOritatively informed, that is caus-
ing the acute anxiety in French
government circles, rather than the
more immediate issues now before
the League Council at Geneva.
The French position is this; While
no one questions Britain's good faith
in doing what she can to uphold
the League prestige, it is clear that
her chief preoccupation is some
thing decidedly more realistic,
namely her possessions in Africa.
Accordingly, England has made
up her mind that, if worst comes to
worst, she will safeguard her IN
'terests in the Sudan, the Valley of
the Nile, Uganda, Kenya and else
where in Africa by occupying West
ern Abyssinia militarily.
(Note-United Press reports from
Paris said British troops in the
Sudan are ready to cross the from
tier and occupy the Gondar region.
between the all-lmportant Lake
Tsana. in northwestern Ethiopia,
and the Eritrean frontierD
Drained by Blue Nile
Lake Tsana is about $50 miles in
circumference. 1t is approximately
100 miles from the Sudanese from
tier. This lake, high on a plateau.
is drained by the Blue Nile, which
flows in great loop hundreds of
miles long into the White Nile at
Khartum.
Dry up the Nile and Egypt and
the Sudan become Just another Sa-
hara. On the other hand, without
irrigation on vast scale, Ethiopia
is hardly worth fighting for. Italy
wants AbySsinia as an outlet for
coloniSts. For that, water is vital.
Yet if the Blue Nile and other tribu-
tarles of the great stream are
damned before they reach the Su-
dan, British interests would be hit
a terrific blow.
Bordering Ethiopia to the south
lies the British crown colony of
Kenya. In area it is four times as
large as England. Most of it is pla-
teau, with a climate like Califor-
MAS. Put to cotton, experts say, it
would make the empire entirely in
dependent of the American staple.
White Mans Country
Kenya, as the British say, is a
white mans country" In fact,
they restrict the uplands to the use
Of Europeans. Even Indian set
tiers are kept to the lowlands.
Between Kenya and the Sudan is
Uganda. British protectorate. This
possession is twice as large as Eng
land and is one of the choicest parts
of equatorial Africa.
AS Paris views It, the situation &C
cordingly is far more serious than
any League crisis, and more i'm
portant than any Italo- Ethiopian
war in itself.
Britain in Deadly Earnest
Concealed behind her stolidity,
Britain is seen as being in deadly
earnest. She wants no strong power
entrenched in Ethiopia ready to
start grabbing the first time she gets
into difficulties elsewhere.
For the moment, Britain is re-
garded as maneuvering to get as
much help from others as she can
to block MuSsolini's ambitions. Later,
if put to it, she is prepared to act
alone. Significance is seen III the
fact that she has recently strength
ened her fleet in the Mediterranean.
All of which frightens France ter
ribly She Is doing ner utmost to
play the Intermediary between Rome
and London, trying to work out a
compromise She is convinced Hit
Ter is watching the drama eagerly
from across the Rhine, ready to turn
it to advantage at the first sign.