Jig Up?

Cheering Britons, pack-jammed as far as the eye could see, greeted Emperor Haile Selassie when he arrived in London praising the King and saying he was sure he would get justice (TIME, June 15). Last week special London police squads were assigned to handle expected crowds at His Majesty's departure. During the month, however, British public opinion had changed so completely that scarcely 50 people were on hand to wave good-by to the Emperor's first-class Pullman. He took second-class on reaching the Continent and as his Geneva-bound train halted at Paris the King of Kings was greeted by one lone French official. That night, outside His Majesty's compartment door, one of Ethiopia's doughtiest generals, Ras Kassa, stood guard in the swaying, jouncing train, with British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden asleep a few cars away, first class.

Meanwhile a young Swiss Fascist wag, made up to look amazingly like Haile Selassie, had been fooling the Geneva City authorities all day, driving about in a handsome limousine and laying wreaths on Swiss Fascist was made up to look amazingly like Haile Selassie, had been fooling the Geneva City authorities all day, driving about in a handsome limousine and laying wreath on Swiss monuments. He even fooled the Permanent Italian League of Nations Delegate, Signor Bova-Scoppa, who used to be stationed in Addis Ababa. Last week Delegate Bova-Scoppa responded courteously when accosted on the street by the bogus "Emperor."

Nonetheless Geneva's rugged, Calvinist and God-fearing citizens who normally ignore celebrities were at the railway station in thousands at 8:30 a. m. to greet the genuine Haile Selassie with roars of "Vive l'Empereur!". Many turned their plump Swiss backs on handsome young "Tony" Eden as he alighted. The Emperor, whisked to the Carlton Park Hotel, went at once into a huddle with his U. S., French and Swiss advisers. In this crucial hour His Majesty had need of all the cunning which carried him originally to the Ethiopian Throne. Close to the astute ear of Haile Selassie in Geneva were his famed Yankee, Everett Colson, long "the Brain Trust of Addis Ababa." and his wily French lawyer, Professor Gaston Jeze. The jig might be almost up for Ethiopia, but the Great Powers were going to be stung by her Emperor in whatever vital spots he could reach.

Sting No. 1. The British were blandly asked to provide Haile Selassie with "safe conduct" back to Ethiopia through the backstairs route of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, a most embarrassing request which Mr. Coison made not privately to Mr. Eden but by whispering it among Geneva correspondents. His story was that one of the Emperor's sons is already trying to get back through the Sudan, encountering "trouble" from the British.

Sting No. 2. The Emperor sent to sit in the League Council one of his most famed generals, Ras Nasibu, who for months held the Italians at bay. "The Emperor has retained all his rights," declared the Ras. "The Emperor has never ceased and does not now cease to demand from every one of the States that have signed the League of Nations Covenant execution of their promises made to Ethiopia, which are clearly set out in the articles of the Covenant bearing the signature of every member state."

Sting No. 3. The Selassie Brain Trust told everyone that Ethiopia has been "less than half conquered." that there is in the country a native Ethiopian Government with which they are "in communication" wherever it is, and that Ethiopians are still fighting the Italians as hard and as often as they can, considering that they have scarcely any ammunition.

Sting No. 4. After the Emperor had given Geneva to understand for several days that he would not plead Ethiopia's cause himself before the Assembly, abruptly at the last moment the King of Kings announced that he was entering the fray in person, will "fight to the last gasp of breath!"

Scuttle, Scuttle, Scuttle, Up and up went Ethiopia's jig as a total of three central American countries resigned in disgust from the League (Guatemala, Honduras,Nicaragua) and Poland crashed through last week with a decree from Warsaw ending Polish Sanctions against Italy. Argentina seemed to be about the hardest nut for Britain to crack this week in the efforts of "Tony" Eden to crack all the Sanctions he was a leader in creating few months ago. Considering the British chiefly as customers for Argentine meat, supposing they meant all Mr. Eden had said against Italy, and being anxious to oblige such good customers, Argentine Foreign Minister Dr. Carlos Saavedra Lamas last month made the original demand that the League Assembly of 53 nations meet in Geneva this week and vote rousingly against Il Duce. Last week Dr. Saavedra was furious and in Buenos Aires refused to be interrogated in the Argentine Chamber. His aides waved their hands and said how could he know that the "emotional" British would switch completely around, and how could the whole thing ever be explained to "logical" Argentine public opinion?

At this point Chile relieved some tension by having her Geneva spokesman propose to "reform" the League of Nations: 1) in such a way that no matter what happens Chile would never have to join in either economic or military sanctions; 2) to bring non-members including Germany and Japan back into the League, presumably recognizing Japan's great land grab in China at this time.

Finally the League Council became so embroiled and confused last week that it decided not to touch the Ethiopian question at all, adjourned to await action this week by the League Assembly.

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