765.84/5179: Telegram
The Minister Resident in Ethiopia (Engert) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:55 p.m.]
44. My 398, June 6, 1936. The Italian Governor of Addis Ababa called this morning and requested me to instruct American nationals to comply with the provisions of the municipal ordinance. I replied that I had already 9 months ago advised American citizens to uncover in the normal American manner when meeting the Marshal or passing Italian national or regimental colors and I believed they had done so. [Page 313] The Governor then pointed out that the ordinance required that persons on horseback must dismount and if in a car they must get out.
I expressed surprise that after these many months an attempt should be made to enforce that particular provision. I said that I had never heard of any similar requirements in any part of the civilized or uncivilized world; that it smacked of medievalism and reminded me of what a Spanish Viceroy of Peru might have required in the sixteenth century; and that I personally considered it frankly too unreasonable to instruct my colony to comply with it without specific instructions from my Government. The Governor then said it had nothing to do with “governments” but only referred to private citizens and there was no desire to apply it to foreign diplomatic or consular officers. I remarked that I had, of course, taken that for granted but that diplomatic and consular horses or mules or even cars were not always readily distinguishable from those belonging to ordinary mortals and that consequently unpleasant incidents would be almost unavoidable. We parted with a promise on my part to refer his request to the Department.
The Governor (see Legation’s despatch No. 156, July 866) was Chief of Cabinet when Graziani first arrived but was so rude to the British and French Ministers that they virtually insisted on his removal. Since then we have had few contacts with him but he has remained the most objectionable of all the higher officials here (see also my telegram 399, June 6, 3 p.m.). I feel personally convinced that the Marshal had little or nothing to do either with the original order or with the present desire to apply it to foreigners. I therefore venture to suggest that a hint in Rome would probably suffice to cause the matter again to be dropped.
In the meantime I shall consult with my principal colleagues.
- Not printed.↩