Addis Ababa, Sept. 1.
'THIOPIA to-day rejected the British suggestion to withhold the oil and mineral concessions recently granted to Anglo-'American interests. The official answer to the British suggestion said the "contract had been signed and cannot be revoked."
was privately interpreted, however, that the British protest was a gesture designed to reduce the tension on Anglo-Italian relations and, possibly open the way for British and French concessions to Italy at the forthcoming meeting of the League of Na. tions.—United Press.
While the deal caused a great surprise in Rome and inspired another attack against Britain, the British attitude was defined in the following communique issued by the Foreign Office:
Is Majesty's Government have hitherto received no confirmation of years' Anglo-American concession the report in the press of the grant Abyssinia, had only printed brief concessions for all and mineral reports and had refrained from any, Fights In Abyssinia, but have felt it comments, the evening papers burst necessary (0 Inform. the British fut into a storm of indignation, Minister at Addis Ababa, Sir Sidney Barton, that such concessions would "England Swallows Half Abyssinia lundoutedly be a matter re-at a Single Bite!" and "True Aspect of British Imperialism Revealed! by. the British French and re among the headlines printed in heavy type across the pages, of the tripartite treaty of 1906, In these circumstances, Sir Sidney Barton has been authorized, 1 the report were true, to inform the Emperor that the" British. Govern=
The self-official "Giornale d'Italia" still refuses to believe the news of "England's colossal robbery Ethiopia" before it has been" confirmed oMeially. Should it however, not prove to be a false alarm, the aper writes. then the concession would be a double infringement of the treaties of 1891, 1894, and 1906, firstly because these treaties preclude any monopoly and secondly because the concession directly affects the zones of interest reserved for Italy.
Tribuna" asks whether Greai Britain is determined to fight. Moly "for Abyssinian oll.—rans-Ocean Kuo Min.
No British Afitiations By Courtesy Showing the area of ment must, for withhold he The Mahan press generally declares the deal to be another manceuvre by the "hostile British."
Signor Gayda, in an officially ited article in "Giornale d'Ttalia, that when Signor Mustolini, Ju his declaration at Bolzano, confirmed that Tlaly intended to respect British interests, he referred to those al ready established and recognized. "Ti Duce had no intention, he added, of signing a blank cheque, and did not mean that Taly should retire doting her hat if Britain, for example, claimed a monopoly over the whol of Abyssinia.
African Exploration and Development Company was incorporated at Dover, Delaware. on June 11 by the United States Cor-oration and Trust Company with 9 registered capital of 5,000 shares of $100 par value each, The purpose of the company is stated to boring and drilling for gui petroleum products and seeking out Precious stones, gold. silver and asphalt."
The incorporators are Messrs. Arthue Britten, Edward William: and, Vincent "Westrup. all of New York.
The man who handled the Abyssinfan and of the negotationsisstated to be Mr. F. W. Rickett, a London financier, who played an. important part in securing a.concession in Iraq for the British Oil Development Company.—Reuter, American Attitude Washington, Sept. 1.
Mr. Cordell Hull, Secretary "of State, in a statement to newspapermen' following confirmation of the Abyssinian all deal by the American Charge "d'Affaires in' Addis Ababa, discounted any possibility of the United States Government becoming. involved in the Italo-Ethiopian controversy through the concession.
ft has not been the practice of American concerns." he declared, "to consult the State Department before negotiating such transactions abroad. The Government does not undertake to follow its nationals around the world and advise them what they should or should not do in matters of business. Private transactions ordinarily are no concern the Government, Despite Mr, Hull's statement, the concession thas caused a scare among United States isolationists, Tt Is pointed out that United States extraterritorial rights in Abyssinia subject American property and per~ sons to the jurisdiction of American Consular officials, This would give the United Slates Government responsibility for the protection of ro petty rights—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.