Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-04-09
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
BY GEORG STRANDVOLD

One would like to be able to say
that the League of Nations council
meeting which began on Wednesday
of this week would be productive of
some concrete results in the direction
of international peace sterilization
but there have already been too many
disappointment to warrant such OPP
timism.
Primarily. the object of this par
t1cular session is new attempt to
stop the war between Italy and Eth
opia.
Recently the military situation in
the African country has changed, for
there is no denial that the Italians
are making progress, and that they
now in addition to a large part of
the southeastern section of the coun-
try are in control of an essential
part of the north; their next objective
appears to be the city of Dessye-
until recently the military headquar-
tiers of Emperor Halle Selassie-and
then Adds Ababa, the capital city,
itself. During the most recent Of
fensive the Italians have captured
Gondar and Quoram-and have made
a preparatory air raid on Adds Ababa.
Great Britain Alert.
One of the establishments of the
Italo-Ethiopian conflict has been the
attitude of Great Britain. If and
when British interests were not
threatened, Great Britain would be
quite lukewarm in it's attempts to
make Italy desist from further war
fare, but at moments when the Ital-
ian aggression seemed to threaten
British interests in the Mediterranean,
at the Suez Canal. in Egypt or the
Red Sea. the British lion reared omi-
nOusly and insisted on drastic sane
tions against Italy. When, however,
it looked as though the whole bust
ness was matter solely between
Italy and Ethiopia, Great Britain
showed no signs of vital interest.
Now it appears that the Italian ar
mics are getting closer and closer to
Lake Tana Tor Tsana) in northwest
ern Ethiopia-and this is precisely
where British interests are centered,
for in this lake are the sources of
the Nile-the sources of a great deal
of the water supply of British-con-
trolled Egypt and Anglo-Sudan.
So, roar is emitted: If Italy VEN
lures to encrOach upon this British
zone of interest, Great Britain will de-
mand that all supplies of oil, steel
and coal to Italy be stopped by the
League.
Back roars the lion of Italy-in the
shape of Prime Minister BenitO Mus
solini:
! If Great Britain will withdraw her
fleet from the Mediterranean, British
interests around Lake Tana will not
be jeopardized.
And this, too-in connection with
the League council meeting which be-
gan yesterday: France, hitherto quite
hesitant about urging further sane
tiOns against Italy, has said, in effect:
If Italy will support the French po-
sitiOn in regard to the Rhineland
crisis, France will certainly take
steps to have the economic sanctions
already in force against Italy removed
and most decidedly will attempt to
stave off any attempt to impose oil
sanctions.
So there you are: Scratch my back,
and I'll scratch yours. Just as usual!
German Situation.
Supposedly, the League council will
take up the matter of Germany's
treaty-violating occupation of the
German Rhineland. Last Tuesday it
was one month since the German
troops placed themselves along the
Rhine. They are still there. They
are likely to remain there.
Reichsfuehrer Adolf Hitler received