Evening star., 1936-02-16
BY LAURENCE sTALLINGS.


NEW YORK.-The Ethiopians are
now are preparing to wage war upon
tactical lines more suited to guerilla
troops, according to significant dis
patch from Adds Ababa, making much
of the demotion by Halle Selassie Of
his son-in-law, Ras Desta Demtu.
There has not been a successor
named to supplant that ill-fortuned
prince, nor will there be. Instead, the
Emperor is to bring upon the southern
front group of savage Fitawraris, all
prepared to lead small columns
through the seasons of the little
rains" 1t is a matter of immense
significance to the Italians, and most
certainly will compel Marshal Ba-
doglio, italian generalissimo, to change
his tactics for the next six months.
For no longer will Badoglio in the
north or Graziano in the south find
unskilled Ethiopians being led to
slaughter by imperious princes of the
blood. The very name ''Fitawrari" i'm
plies change in front for the Ethio-
plans, Of which Badoglio, with his long
Recommendation of the Ethiopian situa-
tion, will be perfectly well aware
Fitawrari means rhinoceros horn. It
Is the title given to that chief who
controls the most far-fiung of a prov
ince's villages, those small clusters of
tukuls sprawled along green crests of
mountains. which rim every enchanted
Ethiopian valley.
Guile Of the Wilderness.
I have met many Fitawraris and
have not yet seen an inefficient or a
peaceable one. They are the border
chieftains. the lords of the marches,
with great physical strength, unsur-
passed valor. and the guile and clever
ness of the man who has lived long
amid harsh surroundings and con-
tinual dangers. 1t will not be a mat
ter of mere staff routine to order one
against frontal position. They are
born to attack stealthily and by slM-
prise, and they will have none of
foreign advice. With thousand men
thalf of whom they own body and
souD, they will shake the spirits from
any platoon of Italian boys holding
an outpost in that grievous terrain
around Makale or Dolo. Those who
recall SCOTS border romances can
form an idea of their prowess from
the savagery of those medieval Scot
tish brawls.
1t is a tragedy that the Ethiopians
did not embrace these tactics when
there was a degree of mobility, now
past the employing. For the little
rains" will, in a serious situation,
cause great inconvenience to the
Ethiopians themselves. That the
Italians will be halted seems sound
reasoning 1t is wise to believe that
Badogho will hug his bases and his
prepared roads. But the onus of
attack will be upon the Ethiopians and
the Fitawraris. who, if they will hold
their own followers. must drive the in
vaders from their homeland. Had the
followers of Halle Selassie been privi-
legged to divide and stalk the enemy in
the season when terrain was firm there
might have been a different story to
Ras KaSsa and RaS Seyoum in their
frantic attempts northward to dis
lodge the Italians from Makale, to
Ras Desta Demtu's Inflated push in
the south.
Rains to Hinder Both Sides.
The little rains, when they fall upon
the lush earth of the plateau. make
going impossible for several days
afterward. I can testify that a road
which will be passable by auto truck
in two hours one day may require
eight hours a day later. This gentle
fall from heaven will be merciful for
those savage troops facing the
mechanical gunfre of the Italians.
But it will cause difficulty for the
Fitawraris who find their mules sink