In the Fascist Senate at Rome last week, Undersecretary for Colonies Alessandro Lessona had just finished arousing speech on his colonial budget, on conditions in the North African colony of Libya. Up to the tribune stomped Benito Mussolini himself.
"Honorable Senators!" he cried, and every Fascist leaned forward, knowing that potent words would follow: ". . . The problem of Italo-Ethiopian relations is the order of the day, and not only in Italy. . . . One rumor abroad in some foreign circles is to be denied formally immediately—a rumor of Franco-British diplomatic 'steps' in Rome.
"The very word 'step' is extremely distasteful. . . . The truth is that no step has been taken up to now. And, owing to Italo-Franco-British relations, it is most probable that there will not be any, even in the future. . . .
"I wish to add immediately and in the most explicit and solemn manner that we will send out all the soldiers we believe necessary. And no one can take upon himself the intolerable presumption to dictate to us concerning the character and volume of our precautionary measures! . . ."
Within a few hours all the world knew what this meant: Italy was determined to carry on her "war" with Abyssinia (TIME, Dec. 24, et seq.) and would brook no interference. Benito Mussolini wanted all Italy to understand that both France and Britain were backing him to the hilt.
France and Britain privately might be willing to let Italy go as far as she liked in Ethiopia in return for assorted favors in Europe, but the British Government for one could not afford to let British Liberals think so. "Steps" might be a distasteful word to Il Duce. Distasteful steps were promptly taken. Sir Eric Drummond, onetime Secretary General of the League of Nations, now Ambassador to Rome, was suddenly called back to London for a conference with the Cabinet. Hard-working Capt. Anthony Eden, only just recovered from a heart attack, was appointed British agent for a suddenly called Franco-British-Italian conference at Geneva to try to avert something almost as embarrassing as a war—formal action by the League of Nations Council, meeting this week in its 86th session. Since 1923 Abyssinia has been a League member in good standing.
France was as anxious to keep Italy from a too elaborate, too expensive campaign in Abyssinia for another reason. Keeping Nazi Germany from absorbing Austria and growing too big is a vital point in France's foreign policy. Italy long ago undertook to do that chore for her. With her own vivid memories of the expenses and difficulties of an African campaign, France was frightened last week that if Italy were once embarked on an Abyssinian campaign she would be forced to send so many troops to Africa that Adolf Hitler would have the chance of a lifetime to stage a coup d'état in Austria.