The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1935-02-12
Fascists Run
HeadlOng Into
A World War
Continued from Page y
By HARRY CANNES


and Italy, entered into in 1925, for
the slicing mp of A5yssinia.
For months now, Italian Fascist
troops in Eritrea, an italian colony
to the north of Abyssinia, and in
Italian Somaliland. to the SOUTH
have been encroaching upon Abys-
sinian territory. But it was only after
the Rome pact. entered into between
Foreign Minister Laval Of France
and the chief fascist butcher Of
italy, Mussolini, that major steps
for war were taken.
Daily" Published Truth
The Daily Worker was the only
paper in the United States which
published the fact that at the time
France and Italy signed their pact
concerning Africa and particularly
Abyssinia. Sir John Simon, British
Foreign Minister, sent a secret note
to these powers giving them full
support in their imperiaist under
takings in Abyssinia
Sir John Simon's message de-
clared that in order to satisfy Italy S
demands for greater territorial ag-
grandizement under the 1915 prom
ise for Italy's having entered the
last world war on the side of the al
lied powers, italy would be allowed
to seize great stretches Of Abys-
sinian land.
The Rome pact provided so far
- Fr51s NOS NOTc HTTP0
II Italy would have the domi-
nant hand in the seizure Of Abys-
sinia.
p In order TO achieve this end,
the French, who control the only
railway leading into Abyssinia,
from Jibuti on the French Somah
coast. granted Italy full right to
use this railroad for the trans
portation of soldiers and arms
against the Abyssinian people.
81 Italy was given 10000
square kiIometers of territory In
South Libya, bordering Egyptian
Sudan en the west, where British
imperialism wants to extend its
territory into Abyssinia up to the
important Lake Tsans area. The
importance of this step will be
explained later.
AS far back as December, 1925
Britain and Italy entered into a
secret pact for the division of Abys-
sinia. This pact provided land Is
still in forceJ that Italy and Britain
would support each other to secure
for the British the right to build a
dam at Lake Tsana, the source Of
the Blue Nile, for the irrigation Of
the Sudan; and the Italians to buii6
railway between Eritrea and tia
Ian Somaliland." (World Almanac
1885, page 63D.
The British Aim
The British aim was to seize Lake
Tsana in order to control the water,
= of the Nile for the purpose Of ex.
tending British cotton lands in thi'
part Of Egypt. The Italians wanted
the railroad to connect its Eritrear
c0lorv with its SomsI colony in the
South. The railway would cut
through the heart of Abyssinia anc
give italy colonial domination ovel
all Of Abyssinia.
italian conquest Of Africa begar
in 1885. when the italian army
seized Massowa, a port on the Rec
Sea. But up to now all of tht
Italian colonial holdings have beer
unimportant economically because
the most valuable territory was still
under the independent rule Of Abys-
sinia.
Now italian Fascism has decided
to seize the rich. fertile lands o.
Abyssinia, its reputed oil, gold anc
other mineral bearing soil.
Mussolini has long been prepar-
ing for this war Troops have beer
sent to Eritrea for attack on the
north of Abyssinia, and shipload,
Of soldiers have been passins
through the Red Sea for debarka.
ton at italian Somaliland with the
connivance of the British ant
French warships that infest thest
waters. These troops have beer
Systematically attacking the borders
Of Abyssinia, creating incident at.
ter incident.
Pretext for War
Now Mussolini is seizing upor
these pretexts to wage a major wal
of conquest against Abyssinia.
Abyssinia is an ancient, feuda
= kingdom. ruled by Empero- Ras Taf-
fari Makkonen. whose power is
based on local princes. The Abys.
sinisn people are staunch fighters
and have repeatedly shown tina
will battle for their independence
But they are poorly armed. Man!
Of them still carry ancient flint loci
rifles.
In 1896, when Italy attempted {
major invasion Of the North o.
Abyssinia, the heroic Gala horse.
men, and the brave troops Of Abys.
sinia, decisivelv defeated them anc
drove them back
Bit at the present time. Italian
Fascism, which has been spending
hundreds Of millions Of dollars for
arms, is nassing the most modern
instruments Of war to subdue thu
Abxssinian people.
The object Of Mussolini is to mas.
his troops in Eritrea and Somali.
land, and by major. modern wa
strategy. with the use of bonbinl
planes, with the most up-to-datt
tanks. machine guns. artillery ant
poison-gas, to overwhe1m the Abys
sinian troops.
Furthermore, it is clear, also, tina
with the support of the other i'm,
perialist powers, Mussolini expects
to have clear sailing. His agenti
have been working among the Abys.
sinian local rulers in order to spill
them UP so that the country woult