Evening star., 1941-05-09
The Nequs Returns

lie WHEEL Ol 1OTCunc never mace
more strikingly full turn than the
triumphant re-entry of Emperor
Halle Selassie into his capital just
five years and three days after he
fled from it before the Italian
invaders. The bushy-bearded little
man clearly felt the dramatic spell
of the hour, as he rode through
Adds Ababa streets bedecked with
the Ethiopian colors and packed with
cheering throngs of his subjects.
Clad in gorgeous regalia, he entered
the royal palace and seated himself
once more upon his throne, giving
audience to tribal chieftains as Negus
Negasti-King of Kings and Lion of
the Tribe of Judah. Meanwhile, the
few Italian civilians permitted to
remain in the city kept discreetly
indoors, saved from popular venge-
ance mainly by the presence of Brit
ish imperial troops.
Ethiopia's temperance upon the
map raises the interesting question
of just what has been restored and
what are its future prospects. The
Ethiopia conquered by Italy five
years ago was not a unified state
with national consciousness. Rather
was it a loose jointed Oriental empire
including a variety of peoples and
with a political system much like
that of Europe in the early Middle
Ages.
The cement of empire was the
ruling race, the brown-skinned Am
haras Of the highlands, Semitic
Hamitic in basic stock though with
varying admixtures of Negro blood.
These warlike highlanders, Christian
in religion, have for centuries main.
tained general supremacy over the
Mohammedan Hamites of the arid
plains and the pagan Negroes of the
forests and jungles 5outhward toward
Central Africa. But the Amharas
themselves are split into many clans,
owing primal loyalty to their local
Rases or chiefs.
Modern Ethiopia was really
founded about sixty years ago by
prominent chief named Menelek, a
man Of great energy and ability who
fought his way to the supreme
throne, unified the clans, gained a
crushing victory over the Italians
when they tried to conquer Ethiopia
in 1896, and then subdued the plain
and jungle people to his rule. Yet
even during his reign, the feudal
system of government remained bas-
ically unchanged, while after his
death the hold of the central author
ity relaxed. The local Rases paid
tribute to the Emperor and were
pledged to aid him in wartime. Other
wise they did much as they pleased.
AS for the subject peoples, they never
felt themselves to be Philippians"
1t will be interesting to discover
how much patriotic feeling has been
aroused by the italian conquest and
five years of subjection to a common
enemy. The present Emperor has
always desired to modernize his
country, and his years of exile in
Europe have undoubtedly made him
realize that Ethiopia must become
a nation-state on the western model
ii 1t is to survive.
Britain, the liberator and protector
OF Ethiopia, has every reason to
desire such a transformation. The
unstable Oriental empire of past
DAYS was source of trouble to the
adjacent British colonies as it was
to all its neighbors. A modernized,
prosperous Ethiopia would suit Brit
lsh policy in East Africa. Since the
Emperor presumably realizes this. he
will be inclined to accept the guild
ance and assistance which Britain
will give him. Such aid will be
needed II Ethiopia Is to be trans
formed. 1t could not stand alone at
the present time. Fortunately, the
good roads and other public works
built by the Italians during their
occupation will aid in the process.
The rest must await the future and
the outcome Of the war itself.