Swedish newspapers normally do not publish on New Year's Day. Last week holidaying Swedish newshawks were routed out of their homes by telephone, called scurrying back to their offices. Within two hours extras were hawked on every corner, flags were being hauled to half-staff on public buildings, and Prince Carl of Sweden, president of the Swedish Red Cross, was hurrying back from his country place to preside over an emergency meeting. Police reserves hustled around to the Italian legation to guard it from angry crowds that kept telling each other varying versions of the same story:
Near Dolo on the Italian Somaliland border of southern Ethiopia, a Swedish Red Cross unit was operating with the tribesmen of energetic Ras Desta Demtu, the "good" son-in-law of Haile Selassie. Italian aviators knew they were there, for only that morning copies of // Messaggero of Rome reached Stockholm, containing a paragraph from Italian Somaliland saying that Italian aviators flying over the southern front had seen people on the ground near hospital tents waving Swedish flags to call attention to their position. Yet last week a squadron of Italian planes circled over the Ethiopian camp to which the Swedish hospital unit was attached. After dropping leaflets, the flyers made straight for the Red Cross station itself, bombs falling, machine guns spitting. All nine Swedes attached to the hospital were killed, together with 23 Ethiopians. Ambulances were wrecked, all medical supplies ruined.
Because the Swedish Government lies as close to socialism as any monarchy can, Sweden has opposed Fascist Italy at Geneva. Here was a juicy point for Swedish delegates to the League to make the most of. Prince Carl protested " in the name of the Swedish Red Cross." King Gustaf was "deeply shocked." Crowds shouted "Down with Mussolini!" Swedish radio stations canceled all holiday programs as a mark of mourning.
Months ago famed Swedish Humanitarian Eric Dahlberg warned his countrymen what might be the result of Haile Selassie's visit to Stockholm in 1925 as Prince Regent. On that occasion the little Ethiopian persuaded crack Swedish officers including General Virgin to resign from the Army, took them to Addis Ababa where they have trained Ethiopian troops. Said Herr Dahlberg: "We are not sure but what if Italian aviators fail to get our Swedish military instructors at Addis Ababa they may not try to get some of our Swedish ambulance units in the field."
Corrections. The story that alarmed all Sweden had gone out of Dolo un verified because Ras Desta Demtu's field radio was temporarily broken. It was not correct. But the miracle was that the story brought to the world emerged as accurately as it did. None of the Swedish doctors was killed. A Dr. Hylander was shot through the side, and his assistant, Gunnar Lundstrom, later died of wounds. Copies of the Italian leaflets that preceded the bombardment read: "You have killed one of our aviators who was made a prisoner. You have cut off his head in violation of human and international laws. You will get for it what you deserve.—GENERAL GRAZIANI."