Salt Lake Telegram | 1936-04-21 | Page 6 | Italy's Desperate Effort

Italy's Desperate Effort THE SLOW and ponderous procedure of the theL L League of Nations is playing into the hands of Mussolini It is almost as if the council were moving forward on Addis Ababa with him himon himon on em three fronts Its long delay permits him to torace torace torace race on to the capital of Haile Halle Selassie in his desperate effort eUort to arrive there ahead of the little r rains ins The indecision leading Britain to threaten to take independent action strengthens il it duces duce's position at home encouraging Italians more than ever to support little Caesars Caesar's program program program pro pro- gram as British enmity may be made to seem more a reality Failure of the league to register register regis regis- ter unanimity on heavier sanctions enhances the possibility of victor imposing pe peace ce t terms upon vanquished without interference of the league or any separate e power or group of nations The supreme appe appeal appel r to be addressed to Italy with the hint that it is needed in the league for collaboration in dealing with Germany gives little hope of fruitfulness Even this gesture to tickle Mussolini's vanity cannot impress hi him n overmuch coming from those whom he con- con ciders liders Italy's enemies It is to be recalled that at it the outset of this und Undeclared war six months ago Italy protested its ils intention merely to carry civilization to a people in slavery This was the beginning of his build Italy Italy's mothers were not then converted even t to th the idea of vengeance for the defeat at forty years ago Each time enthusiasm seemed to be waning he had another bit of patriotic emotionalism to sell his is people Finally when his generals in the field were or ordered ordered ordered or- or dered to make the most desperate advance of the the whole campaign to end what was in the beginning a quest of territory wealth and power he be made his boldest move at home to stir the thew w war r spirit to its highest pitch Then h he declared de tie- dared that th the campaign must go on until the whole Ethiopian resistance should be annihilated General Badoglio's s 's lines are now extended to toa tok k a degree no able field commander would think 0 of if he faced troops anywhere near a match for his own As it is he takes a long chance against guerilla bands counting on his planes to destroy morale among the decimated enemy even without without without with with- out dropping a bomb He must reach his objective tive five now in days not days not weeks If the r rains ins come on before victory in the field is achieved his entire force from front to rear will be bogged down and helpless If the league caught him in that predicament and hit him with a new batch 0 of ot effective sanctions Mussolini would find himself him him- s self beaten not only in the theater of operations but on the home front as well