The Omaha guide., 1935-10-12
CASE AGAINST
ETHIOPIA

In AN article apologizing for Mussolinis adven.
u ture in Ethiopia, Roberto Forges-Davanzati, q
member Of the Italian Senate and editor Of the
TRIBUNE Of Rome in CURRENT HISTORY, Oct
1895, refers to Ethiopia in fascist fashion to the
effect that Ethiopia lis true to African type" which
he says is an inferior type and cannot lay claim
to an ancient civilization. This in spite Of the fact
that about one-half Of the Ethiopian population has
been Christian for many centuries. Signor Davan-
zati ~justifies the conquest of Ethiopia by citing the
fact that slavery has not been abolished.
According to a recent Foreign Policy Associa-
ton Report: Domestic slavery is being gradually
eliminated. Slave trading is punishable by death.
An edict Of March 81, 1924 provided for the eman-
cipation Of children born Of slaves. A second law
of July Is, 1881 declared that slaves should be freed
Immediately on the death of their master. From
Sept. 1, 1893 to August Is, 1894, 3647 slaves were
liberated and 293 persons were sentenced for of
lenses under these laws"
Signor Davanzati also insists on the right Of
Italy to colonial expansion-the same apology as
advanced by Japan for its expansion in Asia, and
by nearly all nations in the past which have con-
quered colonial lands.
Educators Pronouncement On Imperialist War
Children should learn how foreign investments
frequently result in Intervention and the use Of
troops for the protection of private rights and the
collection Of private debts through soldiers; how in
turn such Imperialism leads to rivalries such as have
existed for generations in Africa and parts Of Asia"
said Ames Marshall, a member Of the New York
City Board of Education in an interview with re-
pOrters of the N. Y.,Post, in which he urged an in
tensive program of peace education both in the
elementary and the hiDh schools IF tho citv sESt11
dents should learn the effect Of war on democratic
gOvernrent-the tendency even in a democracy
such as ours and that in England to become more
bureaucratic and autOcratic, the danger that further
wars will result in further dictatorship" Numerous
organizations and educators have endorsed the
proposal.
Comparison Of Italian and E~thiopion Strength
Mussolini' s Fascist army now numbers 100000
men, about 10000 Of whom are concentrated on
African territory. This army is sat once the most
technically perfect and probabl ythe mot nusmerous
European army that has undertaken a campaign
i'll Africa Manchester Guardian Weekly, $685.
Halle Selassies army consists of the Imeprial
Guard and the National Army. The Imperial Guard
is a force Of 5000 men, infantry, cavalry and ar
tillery, inadequately equipped with anti-aircraft
guns, automatic rifles and machine guns The Ma
tOnal Army is made up of 100000 men known as
the standing army which gadrisons the provinces
and about 100000 followers of local chiefs. This
army possesses only 100000 modern rifles.
These $4,000 soldiers are determined to pre-
serve the independence Of a population numbering
seven and one-half millions. The Ethiopion soldier
is generally armed with a curved sword, bucklor and
lance. His means of transportation includes mules,
horses, and donkeys, He is used to long fasts and
can therefore march two days easily without food
or water. The Italian army, on the other hand,
equipped with tanks and airplanes, will find them
Of little use in a guerilla war Of ambuscades. J"
There are no army barracks in Ethiopia to bomb,
no Industrial c~enters, no important buildings-there
are only peasant hutS, scattered over ~plateaus.
mountains rising $4,000 feet in height, swamps and
deserts. -
CIT MIN A NTT XXTTTTTT