37
765.84/54
The Ambassador in Italy (Long) to the
Secretary of State
No. 734
ROME, September 28, 1934.
[Received October 11.]
SIR:
I have the honor to refer to my despatch No.
721 of September 21, 1934, enclosing a Memorandum of conversations in
connection with Italy's relations with Abyssinia, and to enclose herewith the
copy of a Memorandum of another conversation on the same subject. [21]
[21] Not printed.
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DOCUMENTS
There have been current in Italy—in all parts
of Italy—for some time rumors to the effect that Italy contemplated warlike
activity there. These rumors are generally to the following effect: that the
Ministries of War, Air, Marine, Finance and Colonies were cooperating; that
they had agreed upon an expenditure of two billion lire; that the Treasury had
made provision for it in its budget; that military reinforcements specifically
and variously stated to amount to 100,000 men, 200,000 men, and 250,000 men had
been allocated for transfer there; that large and varying quantities of
supplies, equipment, had been or were being or were about to be sent; that
tanks, air bombs, machine guns, barbed wire, airplanes, hangars, small tanks,
small bore artillery, horses and mules had been and were being sent.
It was specifically reported that on
September 26th there would be sent to Eritrea or Somalia a large military
expedition. I wrote each Consul at a seaport and asked him to watch his harbor
and the movement there on that date. Naples reported 200 mules and 20 armored
cars had left the week before but no shipments on the 26th. It also
reported the rumor that 100,000 men had sailed from Brindisi September 24th but
the Consul General agrees that the rumor is fantastic. Naples also reports that
on or about the first of September the S.S. Caffaro
of the Tirrenan Line sailed for its regular run down the east coast of
Africa with 4000 tons of munitions of war and 30 or 40 army ambulances on deck.
Trieste reported that "several weeks
ago" all local shipping companies were instructed to advise the Captain of
the Port when any of their ships finished discharging cargo and any space was
free. Also that the three vessels of the Lloyd Triestino Line, the Himalaya, Tergestea, and Fujiyama, on the Far Eastern run, all of
which touch at Massaua, received instructions in August to include Taranto as a
port of call. There is no commercial cargo to be loaded there. I would like to
send someone to Taranto to spend a week or more for observation purposes, but
an officer of the American Government would not be a proper person to send.
Trieste also reports an order for 500,000 sun
helmets to have been recently placed in Milan and the rumor that France has
granted a war loan of 5,000,000 francs.
It is also reported General Badoglio is to
command the expeditionary forces.
Leghorn reported that everything was normal
there and at Pisa except the ubiquitous rumors about Italy's preparations for
Abyssinian
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DOCUMENTS
Genoa reported that the S.S. Dandolo, sailing September 26th for Port
Said, Suez, Massaua, and Indian ports, is leaving with little cargo, including
a number of large cases very possibly containing a couple of hangars and
airplane spare parts, as well as two or three hundred boxes, small and very
heavy, marked "Wire Nails", apparently of Swiss origin and addressed
to Bassorah and Madras; that "It is reported that the S.S. Francesco Crispi, which sailed September
5th from Massaua, etc., and the Guiseppe Mazzini on her last voyage for the same ports, carried hangars as
part of their cargoes. It is rumored that the S.S. Caffaro and Casaregis are
expected to embark locomotives, rolling stock, ammunition and Red Cross
supplies at Naples. According to rumors which have been going around Genoa for
the past three or four weeks, the 'banana boats', which used to make their
outward voyages quite empty, are now leaving this port with good cargoes of
airplanes, hangars, motor trucks and munitions said to be intended for Massaua.
It is stated by sources believed to be reliable that the Fiat Company is
manufacturing a large number of small motor lorries, all to be shipped to
Massaua and Italian Somalia."
That preparations of an unusual sort are
under way as regards the Italian East African Colonies of Eritrea and Italian
Somalia is fairly well established in my mind. That they relate to Abyssinia I
accept as quite possible. However, I do not think the Italians will begin an
unprovoked attack against Abyssinia. They may try to arrange a
"defensive" war, or may be so "provoked" by
"depredations" or by "unruly tribes" as to start a punitive
expedition which will gradually develop into a penetration. Or they may, as I
think most likely, try to stir up dissension in the ranks of Ras Taffari and
help one of his opponents with the idea of placing on the throne a successful
rival who will receive the protection of Italy . . .
Respectfully yours,
BRECKENRIDGE LONG