The Omaha guide., 1935-09-14

clash, Italy blamed Ethiopia and
demanded PREPARATIONS, including the
payment of 100000 thalers and a
salute in Adds Ababa to the Italian
flag. Ethiopia rejected the claim for
reparations, but offered to place the
money in escrow in the matter were
submitted to arbitration, and to
abide by the decision of a neutral
commission.
Italy spurned the offer to sub
nit the dispute to arbitration and
prepared for war. Ethiopia APP
peaed to the League of Nations IN
January Of this year.
The League of Nations repeatedly
sought to duck its obligations under
tho provisions of the League cove
liant, cited in the Ethiopian appeal.
The memorandum was shunted at
the January meeting and again in
April In May, the concentration Of
Italian troops in East Africa had
reached such alarming proportions
that the League could no longer COM
pletely ignore its obligations and set
up a Cancellation commission to de-
termine responsibility for the
Ualual affair. This commission was
given until July 25 to reach a con-
clusion. The commission, consisting
Of two Italians, and a F~renchman
and an American, chosen to repre-
sent Ethiopia, failed in its first eff
forts. It broke up. Ethiopia in
sisted that responsibility for what
happened could not fbe determined
unless the question of the ownership
Of UalIal was settled. Italy OBJ
jected to considering this point Of the
dispute. At Italy's insistence, the
League h d removed original maps
denoting Ualual in Ethiopian terri
tory. League members met again,
authorized the selection Of a fifth
conciliator and ruled out the point as
to which nation Ualual belonged.
Neither Nation to Blame
The Cancellation commission, now
consisting Of five members, want to
work again, instructed to present its
conclusions at the League of Ma
tions council meeting, September 4.
The commission came to the conclu-
sion that neither Italy nor Ethiopia
was normally responsible for the
Ualual incident.
Thus when the League Council
convened September 4, the situation
was 5 e wh a as follows: The
Commission of Cancellation, consist
ing of two Italians, n American,
n Frenchman and one Greek, had
removed Ualual as a cause for war.
Long before the Commission and the
League had acted, world opinion had
reached the same conclusion and
Italy, in pursuit of her war aims,
found herself openly defiant Of
world opinion. Italy had poured
nearly 100000 troops into its East
African colonies and immense
amounts of war materials. Italian
statesmen and the Italian press were
clamoring for war. The Italian press
had vigorously defied Great Britain
and Japan. For the glory of Italy,
there was to be no turning back.
In contrast to the bellicose prepara-
tions and statements of the Italians.
Emperor Halle Selassie had striven
20 enlist every known agency to in
sure peace.
Collectively and individually. the
nations and the world public had
been appealed to. The Ethiopian
emperor had joined with America in
prayers for peace. He had appealed
against the embargo on arms to
Ethiopia, an embargo which left
the Ethiopian people defenseless
against Italian aggression. Stripped
OF prejudices Of race and color, the
cause of justice and peace was on
the side of the Ethiopians!
Italians at Geneva
1t was in the light Of the absence
of a cause for war, 50 far sustained
that Mussolini's agents at Geneva
prepared a long series Of indict-
ments against the Ethiopian en-
pire- These indictments were in
Guided under the following headings:
First, Ethiopia's refusal to de-
fine her frontiers with the Italian
colonies, consequently the illegal oc-
c~upation Of Italian territories by
Ethiopia.
Second, continual offense against
the immunity Of Italian diplomatic
and consular representatives in
Ethiopia, which was their inherent
right.
Third, permanent offense against
the lives and goods Of Italian citi-
zens living in Ethiopia who were
prevented from developing economic
enterprises, whatsoever their nature.
Fourth, offenses and attacks
against the lives of italian citizens