The Washington times., 1935-10-31
ROMANS FIGHT
DESERT HEAT
0NADVANCE
Duce's Men Abandon
Positions to South
of Mussa Ali

viously aimed at DeSsye, impor.
tant city north of Adds Ababa
where the crown prince COM
mandS the base headquarters for
the Ethiopian northeastern army.
Today'S official information is
the result of fortnight's obSer-
vation by Ethiopian scouts, and
1t affords the most important
view of Italian strategy since the
war started.
From this information it is ap-
parent the Italians have abarl-
doned the southern slopes of
Mount MusSa Ali and moved
their base to the northern slopes,
where airplanes, tanks and cav.
airy are assembled.
From this point the column
launched across the desert. A
detachment of 800 cavalrymen set
out. apparently destined to cut
southwark toward the Djibouti-
Adds Ababa railway, while the
main body of troops continues
towards DesSye.
The Danakil massacre Of the
italian supply train was bloody.
The attack, which was a classic
Illustration of the battle tactics
of the Danakil Savages, ocurred
at 4 o'clock in the morning.
Completely surprised. the 1tal-
fans were unable to use their
machine guns, and were butchered
in their camp beds.
Do Not Capture-Kill
It is significant that no men.
ton in the official statement was
made of any Italian prisoners.
For the AssaimaraS are one Of
those tribes which do not take
prisoners.
They also are one of the tribes
which cling to the custom that
no man can marry until he is able
to present the tribe with a virile
trophy.
There was rejoicing throughout
Danakil because. although many
such raids have been reported
falsely since the beginning of Italo-
Ethiopian hoStilities, this is the
first authenticated case in which
the savages proved that their
method of warfare is superior to
the modern machine equipment
Of the enemy.
Moreover, the incident throws
further light on an important
movement of italians into Ethi-
opia from Assab, Eritrea. The
supply train which was cut off
and annihilated was working to-
wards the new advanced post the
Italians have established so miles
due west of the Eritrean border.
Driving For Makale
These movements show the
main lines of Italian strategy.
From the north, basing at AkSum,
Aduwa, and Adigrat they are
driving for Makale, which is as
good as taken already.
From Makale they will continue
to drive southwark, aiming at
Magdala, where General Napier
defeated the Ethiopians in 1857
in order to liberate a British
consul.
Magdala is not far from Dessye,
and the object apparently is that
italian columns from Makale and
the Danakil desert will join some
where around Magdala anS DeS-
sye, and thence drive along the
fringe of the Ethiopian highlands
towards Adds Ababa.
Should the Italians succeed In
these drives from the north and
east, they would cut off the Ethi-
opians from all traversable routes
from the capital northwardS. At
the same time they are expected
to attack from the south, driving
toward Harar, which is more i'm
portant Strategically than Adds
Ababa.
Prisoner In Jiffy
How extremely dangerous it is
for the italians to stray from
their mechanical war instruments
was demonstrated by the arrival
at Adds Ababa of an Italian Of
ficer captured near Dolo, on the
southern front.
The unfortunate officer, said
to be of Austrian extraction
hailing from the north Tyrol, was
commanding a tank near Dolo.
He got out of the tank to get a
drink of water, and Immediately
was surrounded by a band Of
savageS and spirited away before
his men were able to fire a shot
Luckily, his captors were not
Danakils. Instead they appreci-
ated the chance to make Emperor
Halle Selassie a present Of a liv.
ing prisoner.