Evening star., 1936-01-15
.FASC|STS REPORT
ENEMY ROUTED IN
DOL0FRONTF|CHT
Ras Desta's Army "Repulsed
and Pursued" Badoglio
Declares.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
While Britain and other Euro
peun nations ShoD no intention OF
relenting in their opposition to
Italian inpasion OF Ethiopia. Mus
solini's troops are stalled by new
rainy season and increased con-
centration OF defending forces.
Latest repie,O OF troop disposition
Showed about 75S.000 Italians on
northern front and about 10000 on
southern front: only air SQuadrons.
hoUeuer. haze reported any sue
cesses in recent tpeeks.
Meanwhile, Britain increases
feet concentration in Mediter-
ranedn and League members con-
time economic pressure against
Italy. Threat OF oil embargo. most
feared By II Duce, still in air.
BY the Associated Press.
Italy claimed today that her south.
ern armies had crushed gatherin?
Ethiopian drive on the Dolo front
''repulsing and pursuing" the enemy
A communique from Marshal Pietrc
Badoglio, the Italian high commander
in Africa. said the Somaliiand force:
had driven back the armies of Ra,
Desta Demtu in a vigorous action
but added:
Fighting continues along the entirt
front. Our losses so far have not beer
serious"
Nothing vas said about Ethiopiei1
losses.
British Cabinet Meets.
The British cabinet met in Lond N
to instruct Foreign Secretary Anthony
Eden on his course regarding fresh
penalties against Italy at the League
of Nations Council session Monday.
Authoritative sources predicted that
when Eden arrived at Geneva he woulo
carry pledges of British participation
in further sanctions against the ag-
gressor nation in the East African war
The possibility that the League
Council may virtually ignore the Italo-
Ethiopian conflict at its January 2C
meeting was reported in inform7c
Paris circles.
DR.. Augusta Vasconcellos Of Portugal
chairman of the League Committee oi
l8, called on Premier Pierre Laval apo
was reported reliably to have discussed
the advisability of postponing coming
meetings of the Committee of Is tt
discuss an oil embargo against Italy
and of the Committee of 13 to consider
further conciliation measures.
Nominal Session Held Unneeded.
Responsible sources said the states
men felt that even nominal meeting
of the Sanctions Committee was un-
necessary, in view of reported virtual
abandonment of the oil embargo.
A third nation dispatched formal
protest to Italy for Fascist bombings
in Ethiopian aerial attacks when the
Swedish Minister presented a note al
Rome.
The Swedish government, following
the examples of Emperor Halle Selassie
and the Egyptian government, charged
the bombing at Dessye December &c
was a direct attack on a Red Cross
ambulance. One Swedish subject was
fatally injured and another wounded
Persons responsible for the air raid
are expected to be taken to account
Sweden told Italy after rejecting a
Fascist declaration the assault was in
reprisal for Ethiopian violation OF
international laws of war.
IS Italians Reported Killed.
From Adds Ababa came an official
Ethiopian report of surprise engage
ment by Ras Seyoums troops against
an Italian detachment January 2, in
which IS Italians were killed.
The communique said six Ethiopian
warriors died, nine more were wounded,
and arms, mules and food were cap
tured.
Premier Laval persisted in his
"wait-and-see" policy on war settle
ment proposals as he moved to
his domestic position amid
a political struggle in the Radical
Socialist party.
The coming session of the League
Council at Geneva will probably rein
stitute discussion on the suggested
oil-coal-iron-steel embargo. London
sources forecast, If the Council can
agree such . measure would be effec-
tive against Italy and the members
give their approval.