The Washington times., 1935-09-04

ACROSS
CONTINENT IS
DESCRIBED
EnqIish Fleet Awaits
Geneva Sanctions
On Canal Route
By H. r. KNICKERBOCKER
Copyright, 1885, by International
News SerVice)

Copyright, 1885. by International
News Service)
PORT SAID, Sept. 4.-Guns OF
two British warShipS newly an
chored in the mouth of the Suez
Canal froWned from beneath their
canvas jackets on four italian
troop ships today. and officers
on both sides exchanged grim
smiles behind their binoculars.
For today, as Geneva decides
for peace or war, these troop
ships might be the last to pass,
and these guns would be among
the first to speak should the
League of Nations choose to sub
stitute their language for diplo-
macy.
2 NavieS Concentrated
Flying from London to Port
Said at this fateful moment in
Europe's history, your correSpon'
dent, bound for the Abyssinian
field of war, passed from one end
of the continent to the other,
and throughout its length and
clear down into Africa and across
into Asia signs of preparations
for great chaos" were unmiStak'
able.
From the mouth of the English
Channel to the mouth of the
Suez Canal British warships are
moving, and countering each
move is an Italian naval move
Concentration of the British
Mediterranean fleet in strategic
positions is nearly perfected
while italian naval maneuvers
have brought Premier Mussolini's
proud new navy into striking
place at the narrow waters by
Sicily, where the British must
pass to reach and block the Suez.
French Line Limits Bookings
The French Line operating in
the Red Sea has ceased to accept
any passengers for Abyssinia or
any of the Somalilands except
officials and newspapermen.
The canal administration faces
the embarrassing fact that if war
should break out between Italy
and Britain there are 300 italian
employees on the canal force.
Egyptians are nervous and re.
Sentful at the British, because
now that there is even a remote
possibility of events bringing them
under Italian rather than British
rule. they have suddenly discov.
cred they like Britain's protection,
but they are beginning to be Skep-
tical as to whether it will be eff.
fective.
But it is not the Egyptians
alone who are taking Italy very
seriously. It is all the powers
with shores on the Mediterranean.
Sanctions Opposed
It IS generally realized now that
MuSSolini means it when he says
he will fight against sanctions, be-
cause otherwise he would sacrifice
his armies in Eritrea and Somali-
land, which in turn would mean
the fall of his regime.
Today the desire up and down
the African and European coasts
of the Mediterranean is not to
stop Mussolini, but to stop the
sanctions.
Meanwhile the British sea and
air forces of this most ancient
scene of battles await orders.
Geneva today will tell what those
orders will be.
Over France, we flew near
enough to see French troops
marching in their maneuvers. In
Italy trains swarmed. The first
sight for air passengers at Brin.
disi, at the southern end of Italy,
was a trim Italian cruiser, and its
bugle call accompanied us as we
took off.
War Scenes Everywhere
Our first sight at Alexandria
as we swept over the port was a
fleet of British warships lying at
anchor, with seven deStroyerS and
three cruisers headed by the bat
tleShipS Revenge and Valiant.
At Port Said we circled over the
impressive bulk of the battleship
Resolution and the flotilla leader
Dispatch, resting smack in the en-.
trance Of the canal.
Tomorrow the airplane car
rier Glorious is expected, and at
the other end of the canal and all
the way to Alden, British warships
are moving up to do their part,
if necessary, to carry out those
sanctions which the British gov.
ernment will ask the League to
take against MuSSolini, and which
Mussolini says mean war.
Here in this key point of the
conflict tension is great and many
italian families and even some
British families are moving out,
while the flight of capital has as
Sumed considerable proportions.
Motor Road Closed
Military authorities today closed
the motor road from Cairo to Suez
and forbade vehicular traffic along
the canal.