AUSTRIA ALARMED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 273, 30 August 1933, Page 5

AUSTRIA ALARMED

GUARD ON GERMAN FRONTIER.

ALLEGATION OF CONSCRIPTION.

NAZI DISPLAY OF SWASTIKAS

(United Press Association—Copyright). LONDON, August 29.

The Vienna correspondent of "The Times" .states that 300 specially trained gendarmes are reinforcing the local forces patrolling the Austro - German frontier owing to the large number of Austrian Nazis who are escaping by secret mountain paths to Germany. Nazis throughout Austria are unabashedly painting swastikas on buildings and churches and threatening men> ber,s of the Cabinet, despite repeated fines and imprisonment.

The Minister of Defence announces what may be regarded as a reintroduction of conscription by the training of relays of from 8000 to 10,000 youths for six months alongside the regular army.

NOT CONSCRIPTION. j

GERM AN ALLEG ATION • DENIED.

(Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, August 29

Under the Treaty of Versailles it is permissible for Austria to enrol 8000 police temporarily for one year. The British repudiate the German allegations that the enrolment constitutes conscription. Austrian (Socialists condemn recruitment of auxiliaries and are summoning me-etings of protest.

A cablegram from Paris, dated August 10, stated: Officials confirm the report that Austria is sounding the Governments of France, Britain, [Poland and the Little Entente, with a yiew to enrolling 8000 additional police to prevent putschs and terrorism. The Powers are" agreeable provided the period of service is limited.

AUXILIARY FORCE DSSIRF.D.

POWERS' CONSENT EXPECTED.

(Received This Day, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON. August 29

An agreement will probably be concluded within a few days, embodying the conditions in which the British, French and Italian Governments will consent to the request by the Austrian Government for permission to raise for a year a special auxiliary force of 8000 men.' The Government of the Little Entente Powers are understood to have been consulted and to have agreed. The request by Austria arises as a result of the tension existing on the Austro-German frontier.

By the terms of the St. Germain Treaty the Austrian Army is allowed 30,000 men, but it has' never been up ■to.full strength. The derogation from the Treaty consists in the enlistment of recruits for a neAV force on shortservice instead of for the normal 12year period. It is that this enlistment shall not be for less than five or more than six months.— British Official Wireless,

PRECAUTIONS ON THE FRONTIER

SHARP-SHOOTERS IN THE TYROL. (Received This Day, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 29. The "Daily Mail" states that Austrian garrisons throughout the Tyrolean frontier are being strengthened. Sharp-shooters are posted at' various points, and auxiliary police are being enrolled at Vienna. PLOT FOR CONQUEST. CORRESPONDENCE FOUND. LONDON, August 16. . A message from Vienna states that the "Reiehspost" piTolishes details of an alleged plot for the Nazi conquest of Austria, as disclosed by correspondence which has been seized by the Government. , ' Baron von Siegler, of Berlin, wrote: "After thumb-screwing Austria with tho tourist boycott, we should attract her with commercial advantages, on the whip and sugar principle. A forced peace with a conquered Austria is unthinkable. Tt would awaken Austrian patriotism. Moreover. Germany would not be permitted to win a modern war."

Tho "Reichspost's" disclosures, says the Vienna correspondent of the "Manchester Guardian,'' declare .that the Nazi revolutionary party, under Dr. Schneider, is in communication with Berlin, where Dr. Schneider's brother, Emil, is 'in the Foreign Political Bureau. The party has practised widespread espionage while Emil has inspired illegal Austrian refugee bodies in Germanv.