The Indianapolis times., 1935-11-12


WITH THE ITALIAN ARM
w les IN EAST AFRICA
Note from a War Correspondents
Diary:
ASMARA, Oct. 2. About 9 p. m.
church bells start ringing Wilding.
Governors residence and Fascist
club floodhghtd with search
lights. Darkened street filled
with excited men. Almost no
white women here.
Every one knows invasion of
Ethiopia starts in morning. It's
the national civilian mobiliza-
ton" which is occurring simul-
taneously in Italy. Impromptu
band marched up street playing
"Viovainezza," Fascist song. Hun
dreds of men in ferment of emo
ton follow, singing, chanting, II
Duce," II Duce," Gather in front
of Fascist club, which now press
headquarters. Call for Count
Ciano CMussolini's flying SON.
in-law) finally get him out. Tum-
ultuouSly carry on shoulders.
Searchlights CrisS-Cross sky.
In press headquarters, We i'm
plOre officials to let us start for
front. About II p. m, we are told
we can start for general head
quarters at a. m. We rush to
pack duffle bags, folding cots,
blankets, nettings, water canteens,
canned eatab.es, typeWriters,
paper, carbons, field glasses, dark
glasses, tight fitting goggles, etc.
nCT. g., l a. m. With Count
ODi Bosdari and Roman Fa-
JAMS, correspondent of a Warsaw,
Poland, newspaper, 1 start to-
ward what will be the front with
in a few hours Strange sensation
to be setting out to witness a war
which will begin promptly at
a. m. Don't think similar incident
occurred in modern times.
We hurtle at so miles an hour
through the night over silent
roads. Halted now and then by
sentries. CHG about so miles
away We occupied with own
thoughts except the Pole, who
highly excited. To shut him up
simulate sleep. Apparently he
thinks going witness bloody battle
within few hours. Finally tell him
CHG in war is as quiet as
cathedral. AS near front, pass
long lines roaring motor trucks,
hurtling without lights on twist
ing mountain roads and edges of
precipiceS. Truck drivers life is
more dangerous than soldiers
About 4 a. m. reach CHG on top
of mountain dropping precipiti-
ously 2100 feet to plain of Asamo.
facing Bebelasa River. Unload
our gear into bare rooms of stone
barrack without stick of furni-
ture.
MO lights. Candles lighted
~ while we stow away equip
ment. Consul Rafaele Castertino,
chief of press section, hastily shaw
ing by candle light. Madame Edith
Marie de Boneuil first woman war
correspondent in Europe, repre-
senting Paris Journal, offers us
each a rose. She carries tortoise
in her pocket as pet. Floyd Glib
bons carries jul given him by
witch doctor in West Africa Every
one talks in Subdued voice. Some
take swigs from cognac bottles.
About 80 a. m. We mount au-
tomobiles for Gen. De Bono's OBJ
servation point on the brow of
Coatit Mountain.
Post consists of few low stone
huts, field telephones, clicking
telegraph instruments and few
pieces of artillery trimmed by sand
bagged parapet. Big table covered
with maps. No lights showing and
very dark. We are introduced to
half dozen officers and then mill
around awaiting dawn.
Suppressed tension in air. We
know down in plain, half mile be-
low us, are about $4,000 men of the
10000 who will begin invasion of
Ethiopia within half hour. It's
the central one of three columns
poised on Mared and Belesa River
banks, frontier of Ethiopia. These
10000 men awaiting word
"avanti, after which simple fact
of their wading river will consti-
tute act which will send rever-
berations through the world
q u