FIERCE BATTLE IN AUSTRIA

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21090, 15 February 1934, Page 9

FIERCE BATTLE IN AUSTRIA

Socialists Hold on Grimly HUNDREDS KILLED VIENNA THREATENED WITH STARVATION .i.■:'.:■.!) .v-skui iatihn-r.y ti.i.i.Ttit iKI.iiURAI'H-LUI'VKIGIIT.) (llceeivcd February 14, 9.Hi p.m.) VIENNA, February 14. Although they were sprayed by machine guns and bombarded by artillery, the Socialists held on grimly in a number of places, notably Ottakring, Scunnering, Favoretcn, Kcrnals, and Floridsdorf. They hit also making some headway in the provinces. It is believed that at least 500 have been killed and thousands wounded. Fighting broke out on Tuesday afternoon at Tostliugberg, near Linz, where armed miners helped the Socialists. Anxiety is felt over food supplies, for the Socialists hold the bakeries and slaughterhouses, and threaten to starve the capital. Lower Austria is almost denuded of troops, so that there is an opportunity for a dangerous outbreak against the Government, which may face a crisis to-day if the rebellion in Vienna is not subdued. Socialist workers holding Vienna's principal gasworks, in reply to the Government's call to them to .surrender, threatened that if the troops fired the workers would blow themselves and everything else to eternity. Major Fey (Minister I'i i .Public Safety) has ordered officers to use every means to beat down all resistance ruthlessly.

Heavy lighting is repor'ed south of Lin/.. The Socialists hold Uriah r, a suburb oi' Linz on the opposite side of the Danube, and have placed machine-gun posts to command two bridges. Troops and auxiliaries are coming from Lower Austria lo relieve the gendarmerie at headquarters. Kapfenberg has been besieged by the SociaLst.s since Monday.

During the fighting in the Embassy region in Vienna, women dropped burning coals on the heads of men of the Heimwehr who were massing in the shelter of a block of fiats. The Heimwehr captured a Socialist stronghold at Quellestrasse with six maciiine-guns and b'OU rifles. L is alleged that Socialists in the provinces fired on troops end police in in the cover of the while hag. The German report that part of Hie fifth infantry regiment had closer ied is officially denied and the Government states that, the whole armv is loyal.

'j'i'ie chv was t; uid throughout i: : - nighl,' but lighting is expected at certain points to-day. Those arrested in Vienna include Dr. Karl Renner (a Conner chance.Jor), Genera! Koerner (head of the Socialist. Defence Corps), Dr. Karl Scit/. (the deposed Socialist Mayor of Vienna), and Hon- Brenner" (former . financial secretary to the municipality). Dr. Scitz is critically ill from a troke caused by the strain.

ARTILLERY CAPTURED 15Y REBELS

WORKERS 1 FLATS LIKE FORTRESSES firim; fikk<t:k in kvknim; (Received February ''J. 7f) P- mJ V'JFNNA, February l.'i. it is reported thai, the Socialists «t. Linv. repulsed Ihc troops, captured some of their arfdlery and paralysed the local railway communications. Firing was growing fiercer m the evening in the western dislricls 01 Vienna, in spite of previous reports that the Socialists were lacking m ammunilion. The Socialists commandeered iron dust carts «'ind converted Ihem into m-moured cars by installing

machine-guns. The troops found blocks ol vvorKrrs' flats occupied by Socialists built like real fortresses, with, concrete cellars, iron plalcd doors, and rifle racks in Iho allies. Government ..Proplanos flew over Ihe city to direct, the artillery lire. Some Socialists escaped through mule-ground cellars and joined their comrades in the suburbs. '1 he lnamritv, however, were manacled anc 'marrhofl to prison, being Padded with bayonets if they tarried, the Socialists, in revenge, treated captured police in the same way as they were taken in chains through the streets. It is officially announced that a Government court-martial will try the first eight offenders who fired on the police under martial law. Those convicted will be hanged immediately.

(iERMAN RUMOURS OV ARMY DESERTION F.OFKSK STII.I. CONFIDENT BERLIN, February K5. The "Berliner Tageblatt" reports lhat sections of the Fifth Austrian Infantry Regiment deserted to the SoelaK, It adds that Austrian radio stations have been sileru since two o'clock this afternoon. The Bourse, however, is stiff conridlnt. The iact that the railways are still running is regarded as a good sign.