BRITAIN AND ABYSSINIA
Strt,—In your issue dated March zrst, under the heading "Alliance with Abyssinia," a most interesting proposal is made regarding the future relationship between Great Britain and Abyssinia. Your suggestion is that Britain should form an alliance with an independent Abyssinia, such as that which now exists between this country and Egypt. Of all the proposals which have so far been put forward, this one seems to me to be the soundest and most desirable. It is also practical, and, if carried into effect, it would be found that most of the difficulties which at the present time loom so large on the horizon would tend to disappear.
The advantages of such an affiance are obvious. Besides inoe. menting the considered policy of His Majesty's Government, as out. lined in the statement made on February 4th by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, it ensures the safety of the communications of the British Empire,, removes any supposed menace to the sour, of the Blue Nile, and, most important of all, would treat with sym. pathy and understanding " the new awareness and sensitiveness of all native Africa regarding the relations of the black and white races' The psychological value of the last point cannot be over-estimated, for, most probably, it is no exaggeration to say that the whole future history of mankind may well depend on the treatment meted out to the Emperor of Ethiopia and his people at the end of the present conflict. - The article entitled " The Industrial African," which appears in the same issue, shows that The Spectator, at least, is aware of the importance of this major problem of the future.—Yours faithfully, Abyssinia Association. MURIEL BLUNDELL, Hon. Secretary.
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