Evening star., 1936-05-12
HULL ACTS TO AID
NATIONALS JEERED
Description of Course Taken
Confession of Weakness,
Representative Says.
BY tho Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Representative Rogers, Republican,
Of Massachusetts, said today that Sec
retary Hull's description of action
taken to protect the American Lega-
ton at Adds Ababa 'is a confession
Of weakness"
In a statement issued as the House
Foreign Affairs Committee assembled
to consider her resolution asking for
done to protect the legation in Ethio-
pia's capital, Mrs. Rogers said:
TOO much dependence was placed
on Great Britain, not only for sup
plies and shelter In time Of trouble,
but for men to protect against the
Iooters."
1t was In reply to the resolution
that Hull yesterday sent a 3,000-word
letter to Chairman McReynolds, OUT
lining precautionary steps that were
taken and warnings issued in advance
of disturbances at Adds Ababa last
week, during which an American
woman was killed by stray bullets and
an attack made on the legation.
Prior to Italo-Ethiopian fighting,
Hull disclosed that the Government
considered. but vetoed. sending q war
ship to African waters.
Asks for Witnesses.
Mrs. Rogers said she wanted wit
nesses from the State Department to
appear before the Foreign Affairs
Committee to testify on her resolu-
ton.
Noting that Hull had said that as
early as May, 1885, the department
took up with the British government
the question Of possible protection for
American citizens in Ethiopia. Mrs.
Rogers said 1t showed the United
States intended to rely on a foreign
power to protect its citizens and ap-
parently planned to do nothing itself.
In defense OF the request for British
aid, Hull said in his letter that 1T is
the frequent practice of one govern
ment to seek assistance for its nation
ais from another government, which,
because Of the large number of it's
nationals, and because Of its interests
in a given area, may be better pre-
pared to render assistance
Cites British Action.
I'VE were not willing to ask per-
mission for even few armed guards" {"
Mrs. Rogers said, but went on the
assumption that permission would be
refused"
Yet the British, she said, brought
in l48 officers and men despite the
refusal Of permission by Ethiopia.
In his letter, Hull had stressed re-
peated warnings given by this govern
inert to American missionaries in
Ethiopia to leave that country, which
first were sounded several months be-
fore the actual beginning of the Ital-
ian campaign. Had these admonitions
been needed, he contended, the rela-
lively few American officials remain
ing would have had little dificulty in
protecting themselves.
Other Steps Taken.
Other steps to protect American
life there summarized by Secretary
Hull as:
Construction Of bomb proof shelter
at the American legation.
Establishment of a naval radio sta
ton at the legation.
The painting Of large American
nag on the roof Of the legation and
other buildings occupied by Ameri-
cans as q protection against possible
Italian air raids.
The Ethiopian government opposed
so strenuously the establishment of
the American radio station within
the legation. Hull revealed, that it
was necessary to ship the wireless
apparatus as electrical equipment"
and to designate the four naval oper-
ators who accompanied it as Clerks. 4"