The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-05-23

W1llC1L o1lOW 1lOW SA1d111OC1 North Africa between them.
 Most of the Italian British agreement, of course, was made public. But a secret deal was ne- gotiated on the side, which Par lament did not know about when it voted confidence in Chamber lain.
 This secret deal specified that a contract should be signed between Italy and an Anglo Egyptian com pany for the use of the waters of Lake Tana, in Ethiopia at the headwaters of the Blue Nile. This lake is tremendously vital to irri- gation for the cotton fields of Egypt, and especially the British Sudan. It will open up enough cotton production to make British textile mills independent of the U. s. cotton belt.
 For years the British have been dickering for Lake Tana's control. As far back as 1925 they negotiated secret treaty with Italy for the division of Ethi- opia, practically on the same terms as now made by II Duce and Chamberlain. Exposure of the 1895 deal by the League of Nations caused an international scandal.
 Resentment against the 1925 secret agreement was so intense that the British were in the dog house, and an American firm, the J. G. White Engineering Com pany, signed a contract with Halle Selassie to build a dam and irrigation works at Lake Tana.
 Therefore Chamberlain came back to basic British imperialism and arranged with Mussolini for an irrigation contract at Lake Tana covering & period of 66 years, with the right to renew for an additional B years, making a total of 99 years.
 British Gold
 This, however, was the least important part of the secret agreement.
 The rest was even more vital. Europ can commentators have speculated for weeks as to what Mussolini was getting from Eng land in return for previously an- nounced concessions. It was known that Mussolini was hard up for cash and it was believed that he would get a loan from the British.
 What he actually is getting, however, is 8 lump sum pay ment from the Bank of Eng land. The bank will put up 25 years rental of the irrigation waters of Lake Tana in ad- vance.
 Mussolini is to use this to develop and colonize the waste spaces of Ethiopia, which he now finds an expensive white elephant on his hands.
 This was the deal to which Roosevelt gave his public bless ing-namely, British payment for the development of conquered Ethiopia in return for a British irrigation scheme which may put our own cotton states out of busi- ness.
 Doubtful
 The bankruptcy of a Wild West show in Washington stranded several hundred performers, among them a group of 75 Sioux Indians from South Dakota. The Redmen sent delegation to John Collier, able commissioner of Indian affairs, to see what he could do about getting them home.
 Collier told them not to worry; that they would be furnished transportation as a result of In- dian Bureau foresight requiring the show to post a bond guaran- teeing the return of the Indians to their homes. The Indian dele- gation listened attentively to Golfers remarks but showed no signs of elation. Finally, through their interpreter, they asked to be allowed to confer among them selves.
 They gathered in a huddle at the other end of the room, and a protracted debate ensued. After 15 minutes Collier called the in- terpreter and asked what was the trouble.
 "N0 trouble" was the reply.
 'Then what's all the palaver about?"
 "Well, you sec they believe what you tell them about get ting them home, but they say it is too good to be true."
 Britain VS. Mexico
 State Department officials sat bolt upright last week when Jake Baker, former right-hand- hand to Harry HOpkinS. walked in