Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-08-23
Ruler Offers Land,
Trying to Avert
Invasion.
CONSULATES HELD
ESPIONAGE NESTS
Americans i'm Menaced
Country Promiseds
Safe Conduct.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Adds ABABA, August 23.-In a
last desperate effort to save Ethiopia
from war, Emperor Halle Selassie was
reported today to have offered to sell
to Italy the Province of Aussa, in
Northeastern Ethiopia, adjoining Fri
trea.
The Ethiopian government today
also instituted close watch over the
Italian consulate after complaints
from Ethiopian quarters that Italian
spies were overrunning the country.
The proceeds of the sale OF Aussa
Province, reports added, would be
schools, roads and hospitals in the
primitive kingdom. Details of the offer
were lacking.
officials close to the Emperor were
not sanguine that this move would
deter MuSsolini from launching his
proposed Roman conquest" as soon
as the rainy season is over.
Italy Might Coordinate Colonies.
The possession of Aussa. which en-
braces approximately 10000 square
miles, would enable Italy to bring
closer together its colonies of Eritrea
and Italian Somaliland and would re-
duce the possibility of frontier Incl
dents with French Soman tribes and
Ethiopians. Italy's control of Aussa
would obliterate the Franco Ethiopian
frontier ar ifS
AuSsa Is inhabited by DanakilS, who
1--WE on raw meat and practice bar
barous marriage rites
The Emperor was reported as
greatly heartened by the statement of
Ramsay Macdonald that Great Brit
ain had determined how to act in the
present crisis. Hope grows here that
the powers are prepared to impose
sanctions at Geneva if Italy should
attack.
The governmental watch for spies
was based on complaint that Italian
secret agents were operating in the
guiSe Of consuls and merchants. The
consulates, according to these Ethio-
plan charges, have neither sufficient
italian subjects nor Italian trade to
justify their existence.
Consul Shot on Way to Port.
At Debre Marcos. the Italian con-
sulate has eight Italian officers, in
GLIDING a physician and a telegrapher.
The consul assigned there is Baron
Muzzi Falconi, who is under treatment
here in the Italian hospital for bullet
wounds he was said to have suffered
accidentally on his way to that post.
Certain Ethiopian quarters alleged
that Italians have been registering
native former soldiers from the Italian
colonies Of Eritrea and Somaliland and
offering them double pay if they join
the italian forces against Ethiopia.
1t IS estimated that there are 1000
Of these former soldiers in Godjam
Province alone.
The Ethiopians allege that, although
italian trade scarcely exists in North
ern Ethiopia, Italy has established
overStaffed consulates there, with
wireless receiving and transmitting
equipment and trained operators.
These stations were said to be located
at DiSSie, Debre, Marcos, Makalle,
Msdji and Harrar, all of which are
provincial capitals
Americans are assured of safe con-
duct from the country should their
evacuation be necessary Franco
Ethiopian railroad authorities today
promised Cornelius Van H. Engert,
charge daffaires Of the American LIE.
CATION, that if given sufficient warn
ing there would be enough locomotives
and coaches to evacuate the Ameri-
cans in the interior to Djibouti
French Somaliland, on the Red Sea.
At present lis Americans are in
Ethiopia, Of when IS are missionaries.
There are rs women and children and
90 men.
The greatest fear Of Americans here
Is that, should Italy defeat Ethiopia
In the first major battle, the untutored
tribesmen might take reprisals against
the whites Unfortunately.
With this in mind, the Emperor
(see ETHIOPIA, Page 81