ETHIOPIA: Shammas into Dirt

During the past weeks thousands upon thousands of Ethiopian warriors have marched past their Emperor in Addis Ababa before going off to the front and thousands upon thousands more will probably do so in the weeks to come. What made last week’s march-by notable were the facts that the Minister of War, grizzled Ras Mulu Getta, was personally leading 100,000 troops to war, and that those near the reviewing stand heard their sad-eyed little Emperor deliver his most moving campaign speech to date.

One chief, followed by his own band of delirious drummers, was bitterly disgraced when his mule suddenly shied in front of the royal stand and sent the rocketing Ras sprawling on the ground. Proudest of the warriors was General Machacha’s chief adjutant who went cantering by on a donkey, magnificently arrayed in stiff shirt, dinner jacket, crossed cartridge belt.

To these and their followers bushy-whiskered little Power of Trinity cried:

“It is not the Emperor who wants war but the Italians who are pushing the fight. We will all die one day, either by typhus or pneumonia, but it is much better to die for your country.

“The Italians will try to repulse you with machine guns. They have machine guns but we have God on our side.

“We urge you not to fight in the traditional old way of massing against the enemy. Guard against hotheadedness, because if the enemy discovers you in angry groups he will burn you as wood in a blaze. . . . If you see an airplane, leave the open spaces and hide in the forest. All soldiers with good guns should then shoot at the plane. When fighting begins you will be within range of the Italian guns. Divest yourselves of shields and spears, because they will form a brilliant target.

“Do not wash your shammas.* Allow them to become dirty and therefore less visible. When we have defeated the invader you may again take up your shields and don clean clothes.

“Comrades I shall be with you on the battlefield to shed my blood freely with yours in defense of our common fatherland. We shall accept no such peace terms as those France proposes. I shall die with you if necessary rather than submit to such humiliation.”

* The white cotton wrap-around worn by all Ethiopian men.