Evening star., 1936-10-26
De BONO REVEALS
ORDER FOR WAR
Marshal, in Book, Quotes
MusSoIini on Instructions
to Fight Ethiopia.
BY the Associated Press.

in 1888 and began his preparations
then, Marshal Emilio de Bono, who
commanded the Italian troops at the
start Of the war. reveals in his book on
"the preparation and the first oper-
atoms"
In 1893, he writes, "the head of the
government fixed his thoughts on the
possibility of military operations in
East Africa"
The first point to decide was whether
the operations should be initiated with
a defensive or offensive operation. De
Bono made an extensive survey and
submitted his findings to II Duce.
Decision Delayed.
His excellency the head Of the
government" he writes, "to whom
reported the results Of my survey, was
not rismayed at the entity Of the
thing, but he did not decide then and
there for the offensive. He. it must
be understood, had to take into ac-
count above all the international situ-
alton and the fact that all our armed
forces. although making great progress.
had not yet reached the state of ef-
ficlency that II Duce, minister Of the
armed forces, had preordained."
In 1888, De Bono reveals, he asked
Mussolini for the honor of leading the
Italian troops, and Mussolini replied
certainly" De Bono inquired: Then
you don't think I'm too old?" (He is
past 70J Mussolini replied: mo. be-
cause we must not lose any time"
From that time on" De Bono
writes. I'll Duce had the clear idea
that the question must be resolved not
later than 1886, and told me So"
Verbal Orders Required.
At the beginning of 1884. he relates,
the commander OF the troops then in
Eritrea and the italian military at
tache at Adds Ababa came to Italy
for talks with Mussolini and himself.
1T being now necessary" he con-
tinues, Ito pass to the carrying out of
the pre-established plans, it was our
duty to communicate to the ministry
of war, to the chief of general staff
and TO the command of the general
staff what was the will Of the chief.
In order to avoid too much on
paper, II Duce ordered that all the
dertaking should be verbalized
He knew that at the opportune
moment he would have had all Italy
with him. But it was not necessary
to conceal the fact that there were not
lacking uncertain persons, nor persons
as usual desirous Of quiet, nor the
timid'
In 1884. he says. began the first
meetings, presided over by Mussolini,
with the military chiefs.
Native Troops Enlisted.
De Bono then describes the initial
preparation in the colony. More ma
tive troops were enlisted. Road work
was begun. Building Of barracks and
warehouses started. At the same time
political Office was started with the
task Of undermining the allegiance of
the Ethiopians to Emperor Halle
SelAssie. =
THE result OF our political dis
uniting action" he says, was seen in
symptoms from the very beginning Of
the operations. 1t subtracted from our
enemy not fewer than 200 900 men
who either did not take up arms or
who, although modified and armed.
showed themselves inactive"
De Bono left for Africa again Jan
uary z, 1885, with the following in
structions from Mussolini:
You leave with the olive branch
in your pocket. Let us see how and
II the incident Of Ual-Ual will be
solved. If it is convenient to accept
the conditions which will be given us,
you will announce to the Emperor
your assumption Of the new position,
telling him that you have been sent
there to clear up misunderstanding
and to collaborate toward good neigh
Dor relations in the moral and ma
terial interests of the two states. In
the meantime, carry on actively your
preparations as If the case were most
difficult and adverse to us.
Negus Declines to Attack.
':If the solution of the incident does
not come about or is not to our sat-
iSfaction. We will follow the events
according to our own particular point
of view"
Soon after reaching Eritrea, De
Bono reported to Mussolini that the
Negus did not intend to attack. Mus
solini then wrote him:
In case the Negus does not intend
to attack US, it must be We ourselves
who will take the initiative"
In May when difficulties with Eng
land began, Mussolini wrote him that,
You must have foodstuffs and NUM-
tions for at least three years"
At the end of June, De Bono re-
ceived a letter from II Duce with re-
gard to foreign secretary Anthony
Eden's trip to Rome.
In very secret note" De Bono
says. "he (MussolinD told me that If
we got into trouble with the English
We would naturally be obliged TO re-
nounce our offensive action and con-
tent ourselves in the beginning with
keeping to a defensive which would
have insured the integrity Of the
colony.
This was indispensable also to re-
duce consumption to minimum be-
cause our supplies, with the closing
of the SueZ Canal and the probable
superiority Of the British fleet over
our naval division would have become
more than problematical.
But even in this to-be-deprecated
case II Duce had decided to take the
dare"
Released From Hospital.