EMPEROR OF ETHIOPIA
SEEKS UNDIVIDED RULE
Death of Empress Leaves Negus
Sole Monarch of Abyssinia, But He
May Have To Resort to Arbirament of the Sword
ADDIS ABABA, April 4, 1930 - Ras Tafari, a slight man with delicate features, modern ideas and a vast knowledge of warfare and feasting was sole monarch of Abyssinia's 10,000,000 dusky subjects today, now that Empress Zauditi was dead.
On Oct. 16, 1928, he was crowned "Negus of Abyssinia," "Emperor of Ethiopia," "King of Kings," "Conquering Lion of Judah," "Elect of God," "Shadow of God Upon Earth" and nearly three dozen other things, but he was forced to share the rule of this African kingdom with his ambitious cousin, Zauditu, until yesterday.
Then she died, quite suddenly. Immediately Ras Tafari threw detachments of his rifle-bearing soldiers about the palace and claimed it for his own.
Order was maintained throughout the night and today Ras Tafari was prepared to rule as Ethiopia's emperor in full fact as well as name.
But he has two possible reasons for uneasiness. The first was Ras Kassa, a powerful chieftain who, like himself, was able to trace his ancestry back through a host of kings to Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Ras Kassa might like the throne if he could get it.
The second reason was Lij Yasu, grandson of the great Emperor Menelik II. Lij Yasu was overthrown in 1916 because of his sympathy with German in the war and because of his leanings towards Mohammedanism in this Christian country. He put up a good fight, 16,000 soldiers being killed in a great battle before he gave up the throne, although he has been a captive of the church since 1921, he still has aspirations.
On the defeat of Lij Yasu, Zauditi, daughter of Menelik II, was crowned Empress, Feb. 11, 1917. Ras tafari, son of Menelik's nephew, was made regent and heir.
Abyssinia, a country nearly as large of Texas and New Mexico combined, prospered. But it galled Ras Tafari to do the actual labor of ruling while the Empress got all the credit. He considered it hardly fair for his cousin to take all the honors of ceremonial functions while he sat at the foot of the throne without even a crown.
State visits to principal countries in Europe with an imposing retinue of rases and officials increased his prestige, and in 1923 he won Abyssinia's admittance to the League of Nations subject to certain conditions regarding slavery and traffic in arms.
In 1928 Mussolini sent the Duke of Abuzzi to return the regent's visit and the envoy was received with the greatest splendor. A treaty was concluded whereby Abyssinia obtain a port on the Red Sea in the Italian colony of Eritrea and Italy was to build a railroad across Abyssinia rivalling one built in France.
Incidentally, the Ras received from Italy a handsome automobile with which he was wont to lead processions of gaily-dressed horsemen, some bearing shields. At other times, however, he preferred a gorgeously-caparisoned mule.
But a certain church group did not like these treaties with foreign countries. "Abyssinia for Abyssinia" was their slogan. There was a plot. There were rumors that the Empress was connected with it. Soon there was talk that Ras Tafari ought to be king.
Bowing to the inevitable, Zauditi granted him kingship, together with the three dozen titles. She provided him with a separate throne and a crown even larger than her own. The royal act was announced in 70 languages.
There was a seven-day feast of celebration. All citizens were invited. Nearly 100,000 men came. For a week the gorging went on, while butchers kept busy 24 hours each day slaughtering the cattle driven into the royal abbatoirs. Ras Tafari went to live in a separate palace, modern, comfortable and high on a hill, while the Empress maintained her headquarters at the "Ghebbi" lower down.
