The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-08-17
EUROPE VIEWS
WAR in AFRICA
AS INEVITABLE
Powers Striving for Peace
Realize History Is Be-
ing Repeated
ny RICHARD D. MMILnAN

NOMteU 1ECSS StuM SVEEcSpOhhuCueV
Paris. (UP)---After months Of,
diplomatic voyagings, the powers
virtually have reconciled them
selves to the inevitability Of con-
Nfiict between italy and Ethiopia,
thereby repeating the history Of
Britain's coi..iict in South Africa
and Frances prolonged campaign
against the Riff in Morocco.
A native raid, which Rome
: charges was carried out with
knowledge Of the government of
the Emperor of Ethiopia, started
the trouble in the frontier region
fhich separates italian Erythria
from the Kingdom Of Ethiopia,
realm of the tabled riches of King
Solomon's mines and one of the
last refugees of slavery.
The quarrel that border raid set
in motion has grown daily until
low Il looms as the spark which
will set one of the principal Euro
mean powers at war with a dusky
emperor, ruler of a people Of H.
100000 souls. Vii
Pledge Life to Emperor
Warrior people, proud of their
thousand years of history, true to
their Christian faith, the nation
has avowed It's faith. to follow its
Negus, Emperor Halle Selassie l,
in his stubborn determination to
resist conquestion by italy or any
other power.
The Abyssinians claim their
ruler Is a descendant Of Menelik,
the son of Solomon by the Queen
OF Shebn, and that their civiltza-
ton and religion-they are a
branch of the Coptic church.
rivals IL not outpaces that OF any
European power, dating back to
the time when the Roman Empire
was in its cradle.
1--WE have fought italy once be-
fore-in 1895, when we wage bat
tie for two years and conquered"
the Emperor declares.
I'VE are ready to fight again, II
we are attacked. We do not seek
conquest, only the right to live IN
peace. But italy Is determined to
bring us under her power, to use
our rich lands as colonizing ground
for italian immigrants.
Want 10 Keep Lands
I'VE wish to keep our land to
ourselves. That Is why, as men,
bers of the League of Nations. we
have sought the support OF all the
members of the world body"
The Negus claims that he can
put 100000 soldiers In the field
10 stem the Italian aggression. II
1t IN finally launched when the
rainy season, which ends in August,
removed the pestilential plague
from the desert lands.
premier Benito Mussolini, de-
claring that mediation has given
Rome no satisfaction for the con-
tinual attacks against italian sub
pjects, has been pouring troops
guns of all calibres from quick-fir-
ing machine guns to light field can
non, planes and light tanks into
the two Italian possessions which
form pincers around the dark King
kingdam.
Italy Moves Relentlessly
While diplomats have scurried
across Europe, talking In various
capitals in an effort to seek So
luton of the quarrel which threat
ends to rend once again the Dark
Continent, Italy methodically has
carried out its plans. Native car.
riers, camel corps, heavy transport
planes--all kinds OF locomotion
dting from the times Of solomon
to present day air-travei--have
been pressed into service to pre-
pare the day for the Italian Of
fensive.
All Italy has been set in state
of feverish excitement by the
prospect of the war In Africa. The
psople view 1t as a campaign OF
conquest to wipe out the iniquity
of slavery and savagery which Is
supposed to reign within the bor-
ders of their African neighbor.
Slavery undoubtedly exists. But
Ethiopians say the wealth OF the
land---it possesses rich ivory ana
gold deposits, reposing deep IN the
cool recesses of the tabled King
Solomon's mines.
Both Sides See Advantage
Philippians argu that II the Itali.
ans advance they will die Of thirst
and disease in the plains, while the
soldiers of the Negus take to the
refuge and dominating points OF
the mountains.
But the Italians realize their
bombing planes are powerful and
fast enough to sweep the watering
pools to which. the cattle must
come to drink when the African
sun dips It's burning rays. Well-fed
Italian troops, both white and
black, will overcome the semi
starved Philippians.
The tropical rains will end in
August. The plague spots will dry
possible for warfare. All will be
ready then for the first shot in the
up. The torrid land will become