TENSION IN EUROPE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 212, 20 June 1933, Page 5

TENSION IN EUROPE

GERMANY AND AUSTRIA. THE ARMING OF FRONTIERS. INTERVENTION OF POWERS,

(United Press Association—Copyright).

LONDON,

June 19

The Vienna correspondent of the "Manchester Guardian" says that outwardly Axistro-German relations were never more strained. The newspapers of both countries are using violently insulting language, and heavily-armed Nazis and Heimwehr are massed on either side of the frontier in sufficient numbers to create a small-scale war N . Beneath the surface, however, there is a strong current running in favour of a rapprochement. . This is assisted by London and Rome, who have unofficially informed Germany and Austria not to allow their political quarrels to get out of hand. The Austro-German tension caused the sudden flight of the Hungarian Premier, M. Gombas, to Berlin to interview Hsrr Hitler. The visit was made at the request of Signor Mussolini and with the approval of the British Foreign Office.

Recent cablegrams to the "Literary Digest" from the Vienna press show a reluctance to discuss the friction . between Austria and Germany, but they reveal a firm conviction for Austrian independence. The most outspoken organ, perhaps is the Catholic ' 'Reichspost." Referring to political prisoners, who then numbered more than 500 Austrian Nazis and Socialists, seized for demonstrating against the parade of 40,000 of .the Fascist Heimwehr, which was given as a symbol of support of the Dollfuss Government, this newspaper said: '•'The Government's political opponents arrested • during the recent disturbances have been treated most humanely in prison. Assertions to the contrary are absolutely false. i

"Concerning Austria's fate, nobody has a right to decide that except the Austrians themselves. We wish a sovereign and a free Austria which may fulfil peacefully its Germanic mission in Central Europe. Any one who holds the idea that Austria's future can bo dictated from Berlin should recall Dr. Dollfuss's recent speech at Salzburg: 'Austria a colony? Never!' Any 'one who ' seeks to ridicule Austria's _ wartime uniforms show a moron spirit and must be pitied and despised*'' The allusion to the Austrian uniform arose from the fact that for the first time 'since 1918 the unifprni of the old Austrian Army was worn ofiically on May 14, when Dr. Dollfuss appeared in his wartime outfit as an officer of the Imperial Jaegar Regiment. He took the salute at the parade of the 40,000 Heimwehr troops above mentioned, which gathered from all parts of the country to show their loyalty to him and to demonstrate for Austrian independence and against union! with Germany. The great fear of the Dollfuss Government and its allies, it is. said, is that Nazi dominance in Austria would bring about a union of Austria and Germany in what some call "its most sinister and most difficult form."

SPORTS FIXTURES AFFECTED.

A FOOTBALL MATCH CANCELLED

(Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) VIENNA, June 19

The Austrian Football 'Association, despite its anxiety to keep sport and polities apart, cancelled the AustroGerman Association football match, which was to have been played at Frankfort next Sunday. A Foreign Office official says that the Government is unwilling to take an official stand, but is not desirous of exposing its nationals to unpleasant incidents, the possibility of which cannot be excluded in view of the AustroGerman relations.

German rowers have withdrawn from the Regatta at Vienna, and German motor speed aces have scratched from the Gisberg Grand Prix. * \

TWENTY INJURED IN CLASH NAZIS AND AUXILIARY POLICE (Received This Day. 1.40 p.m.) VIENNA, June 19. : An extraordinary meeting of Cabinet is considering an outrage at Krems, where 20 were injured, nine seriously, by hand grenades in a clash between Nazis and a detachment of auxiliary police. «

SYMPATHETIC TO AUSTRIA.

BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S VIEW.

(Received This Day, 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, June. 19

In the House of Commons, the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Captain R. A. Eden) said that the British Government was watching with interest and sympathy the efforts of Dr. Dollfuss to establish the finances- of Austria, on a sound basis and' to maintain national authority and independence. The Government trusted that speedy means would be found to remove tho causes of friction between Austria and Germany.—British Official Wireless.