HAILE SELASSIE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 195, 5 August 1940, Page 8

HAILE SELASSIE

News that the Emperor of Abyssinia, Haile Selassie, is now at Khartoum is percolating into Abyssinia, and giving his followers new heart. The Emperor's arrival coincides with a marked increase in acts of sabotage and open hostility, which arc causing great anxiety to the Italian garrisons in Abyssinia. The secret arrangements made for the swift transportation of Haile Selassie to Khartoum, together with the enthusiasm which the move causod in Egyptian circles, emphasises the importance of the answer given by the Undcr-Sccr,etary for Foreign Affairs, Mr Butler, in the House of Commons on July in which lie said that Britain recognised Abyssinia's full status as an ally. Egyptians regard his arrival in the Sudan as indicating early action for the liberation through active British support of those Abyssinians who have never surrendered, but have kept up guerilla warfare, and of the other ostensibly submissive sections who are showing increasing signs of restlessness. Britain's evident determination to restore Haile Selassie has particularly pleased the Copts in Egypt because a branch of their Church in Abyssinia before the Italian conquest dominated the social and religious life of Addis Ababa under the jurisdiction of the Coptic Patriarch. - . • Haile Selassie flew from England to" Alexandria. He slept peacefully while flying across German-occupied France," curled up in a seat in the flying boat and wrapped in rugs. A stou was made at Malta. Oh arrival at Alexandria he waited until it was dark before going ashore. When the time came for him to leave the flying boat, an artificially provoked commotion on shore distracted the attention of bystanders, and the Emperor, muffled in 'i cloak, was smuggled ashore. The Emperor gave the pilot of the .flying boat a watch engraved with a crown, and said: "l"he next time you see me I shall be wearing a crown."