365D.1163/23: Telegram
The Minister Resident in Ethiopia ( Engert ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:26 p.m.]
693. Among the papers handed me for my perusal at the interview reported in my 690 of yesterday79 there was a telegram from Lessona dated November 10th which had evidently been attached by mistake. The following was the gist of it:
It is becoming increasingly evident that all missionaries in Ethiopia are hostile to Italy. With the progress of our operations in the west you should therefore make every effort to eliminate missionaries, both Europeans and Americans, as quickly as possible. We cannot tolerate hostile elements in the Empire.