Evening star., 1935-12-30

(Contnued From First Page)
the South and West we're RaS SeyouIn.
former governor Of Tigre Province,
and Dedjazmatch Ayele, a strong
chieftain, both operating to the North
west.
100000 Warriors in East.
In addition, officials said, there were
about 100000 Ethiopian fighting men
IN the East under Ras Guetatchou,
former Minister to France.
The Southern armies under Ras
Nasibu, governor of Harar; Wehib
Pasha, the Turkish officer, and Ras
Desta Demtu, son-in-law Of Emperor
Halle Selassie, were estimated at
100000.
Even today, the authorities asserted.
the great reservoir Of manpower in
Ethiopia had hardly been touched.
Despite the vast current concentra-
tions. officials estimated there were
100000 more able-bodied men at
least partly trained for war who had
not yet left their native provinces.
Over-crowding of tribesmen in the
war zones and the danger of a short
age of food for his armies were the
problems uppermost in the mind Of the
Emperor.
Officials said the smiling little ruler,
who went to Dessye, between the
Northern and Southern fronts. to give
personal direction to the defense after
seeing the Italians push their North
ern lines first to the Adigrat-Aduwa-
Aksum front and then to Makale, was
beginning now to feel the pinch of his
mobilization proclamation, issued early
in October, when the Italian invasion
began.
The Emperor delayed his proclarl1a-
tion until the last possible moment,
knowing his people would start a
wholesale rush Of fighting men to the
frontiers before aCcommoda could
be made for them.
The end Of week-long dread and
water fast" and the resultant boarding
Of supplies offered temporary relief
now, however, to the harassed officials
intrusted with provisioning the armies.
Reports from abroad that lack Of
food and overcrowding of troops on
the fronts were likely to stir up q
revolution amused the Ethiopians.
Reports Laid to Ignorance.
Authorities said these reports dis
played ignorance of the Ethiopian
mentality, because these people, like
other Eastern races, do not think Of
revolving because Of hardships.
At the worst they would simply go
back to their native provinces for food.
The Emperor has taken precautions
TO provide adequate food at the fronts.
He is aided by the fact that the Ethi-
opians are accustomed to eating most
frugally.
Means Of communication and trans
port also have been improved greatly.
This is no longer the loosely con-
nected empire Of Meneliks time
The present fighting zones are in
the poorest productive regions of the
empire.
Tigre Barren Region.
Tigre is mostly barren and gaunt
mountain region. The eastern and
southern sectors are waste deserts.
Halle Selassie Is succeeding in NOV.
ing supplies to his armies with an
unlimited number of pack mules,
camels and even human carriers.
AS a measure to hold men back
from the front, with plenty on hand
to wage the quickened combat, the
Emperor Is encouraging soldiers to
purchase their freedom from service.
A contribution of 100 silver thalers
to the nations war fund releases any
soldier in the active military organi-
cation from going to the front.
The Emperor has had the greatest
difficulty, however, in persuading
many rases and governors of prov
inces that they should stay home and
persist In their internal government