The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-08-05
FEELS LEAGUE
Will AVAIL
NOTHING
Armed Force Needed
to Make Certain
of Peace
BY SEYMOUR BERKSON
Managing Editor Of Universal Service

interview by cable between New
York and Rome, today, on the
heels of the League Of Nations
"crisis meeting" in Geneva, de
clared he does not believe the
League can solve the Italo-Ethio'
plan conflict and that Ethiopia
only way to avert war is ito place
itself under the guardianship OF
Italy"
In an amazingly frank response
to a series of questions cabled to
him, the Italian dictator makes
this emphatic declaration:
"The Ethiopian question could
be resolved in some other way
(than by armed fOrce), If those
who at present control the des-
TIMES of that people would aban-
don the illusion Of possible re-
sistance, would cease to believe
in the hypothetical support Of
other countries, and would real
lie that the true interest of Eth
Opia is to place itself under the
guardianship OF AGaAys
HAS REAL DOUBT
'T do not believe that a real
and radical solution of the
Ethiopian problem can come
from Geneva where other prob
lens similar in certain ways to
the Ethiopian problem, such as
the Manchurian question, could
not be solved.
"The Italian people in its
tOtality is spiritually united in
its decision to accept every and
any kind Of sacrifice and to as
sumo all, even the most grave,
responsibilities which can be inn
posed by this historic hour In the
life Of Italy.
"The history Of more than half
q century of contacts between
Italy and Ethiopia has demon
strated that while not one Of the
European colonies bordering
Ethiopia has been exempt from
Ethiopian provOcatiOn, Italy is
certainly the one country which
has suffered the most.
ONE OF MANY
"The WaLWal incident 1.-THE
bloody frontier clash between
Italian and Ethiopian troops last
December regarding which the
League of Nations is seeking to
arbitrate) is not an isolated
one, but the last chrOnOIOgic1lly
of a series of deliberate NANTES
tatiOns [: the pertinaciOuS spirit
against Italy which animates
some of +he Ethiopian chiefs"
Coming as it does on the eve Of
the renewed arbitration negotia
tionS between Italy and Ethiopia
arranged for Saturday by the
League Council at Geneva which
set Sept. 4 as the date for a report
to the council, Premier MusSolini'S
statement ventures no optimism
as to the outcome of these negotia
tons.
British Model
In reply to the question why
is England which has itself colo
nized and absorbed primitive PEG
pies, so nervous about Italy'S move
in Ethiopia" Premier Mussolin
replied with this answer. point
ing to British colonial policy as
model for his own:
~ am afraid that certain
strata of the British public do
not yet realize exactly the pro-
found reasons moving Italy to
seek definite solution Of the
Ethiopian problem.
81 believe that the attitude
taken by q notable part Of Brit
ish public opinion must be due
to this lack of comprehension.
However, there is not lack in
England of authoritative voices
which recognize the good Of
Italy's assuming the place due
her among cOlonizing nations.
'The Italian people still hope
that the British people in its
majority will realize that the
present action Of italy is not
dictated by imperialiStic aims
nor by the wish for easy mill
tary successes, but is prompted
solely by those needs for expan-
sion and security with which
British colonial policy was it.
self always inspired so as to
constitute peerless example to
all cOlOnizing powers"
Asked What is Japan's role II
North Africa, and why is she 81
concerned about Italian plans,
Premier MuSsolini answered:
"The Italian government has
reason to believe the repeated
declarations made by the Offic-
ial spokesman Of the Japanese
government that japanese in
terests in East Africa are Of
purely commercial and economic
nature So as to have all to gain
and nothing to lose in the open
ing of AbySSiniar markets to
world trade and commerce"
1t was that assurance by thu
Japanese Ambassador at RomC
that several weeks ago raised {
storm at Tokyo where certain in
fluential circles close to the For
eign Office sought to create tn
impression that the JapaneSO
Ambassador had acted on his owl
responsibility without proper au
thority.
Started in 1889
In response to several question
regarding the origin of the Italc
Ethiopian dispute, Premier Musso
lini traced the history Of the cor