CAUSE OF CRISIS IN AUSTRIA

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21096, 22 February 1934, Page 9

CAUSE OF CRISIS IN AUSTRIA

I ♦ —— j Explanation by Dr. Frankel NOT A REVOLUTION "There is no truth in the suggestion that the Austrian Socialists had any desire to seize power when the recent troubles began—the Socialists did not by any means attempt a revolution," said Dr. Otto H. Frankel. of Christchurch. yesterday when discussing with a representative of "The Press" the recent fighting in Austria. Dr. Frankel was born in Vienna and paid his last visit to Austria in 1927. Dr. Frankel explained that the Socialist party in Austria, which was comparable to the Labour party in New Zealand, was actually attempting to defend the constitution rather than to overthrow it, and to suppress the parly the Government had begun something in the nature of a counter-revolution on the Fascist plan. The Government seemed to be completely in the hands of the Heimwehr, which was entirely a Fascist organisation. The present Government under Dr. Doll fuss was completely unconstitutional. Dr. Frankel slated, and was ruling merely by means of emergency war-time regulations, [t was as if the British Government were to rule under the provisions of the Defence of the Realm Act or the New Zealand Government under the Jooso and indefinite provisions of the Board of Trade Act. The aim of the Socialists had simply been to protest against this form of government and to press j for democratic institutions. j A Hopeless Attempt | -'lt was a heroic and hopeless aim," said Dr. Frankel. "because I hey had no chance of success and they must have known it from the first. It docs not seem now as if their protest is likely to have any effect, and it will probably mean the uid of the Socialist party in Austria." The future lay between the present Government and the Nazis, I said Dr. Frankel. It was possible '' that the present Government, which : had as one of its ultimate aims the ! restoration of the Hapsburg monj archy, might retain power, but it ! seemed unlikely, even though it i was being supported by Italy. If it failed the only alternative was Nazi rule for Austria. Dr. Frankel remarked that the Socialist party in Austria had been the strongest in Europe since the war, while the city of Vienna had been governed bv a Socialist municipality since 101 H. It had been stated'in the cablegrams that the blocks of working-class fiats in Vienna had been built as fortresses I Kir the Socialists, but Dr. Frankel I had visited some of them m 1927 and could say definitely that they 'wcie nothing more than ordinary j concrete buildings of modern Con- ! t mental design. i | End of the Socialists ! "These troubles will probably I mean the end of the Socialist party j in Austria," concluded Dr. Frankel. j "All the trade unions and labour j organisations have been dissolved. I including a famous educational j organisation which corresponds to the Workers' Educational Association in New Zealand, and all power will be taken from the party. For many months past the Government has ' been trying to silence (he j Labour press of Austria and to dis- ' arm the Labour organisations. ! although it has never taken any j action against the Heimwehr. an illegal organisation. Now it has succeeded and the fate of organised ! labour in Austria has been decided." | FUNERAL OF OFFICIALS i MA.IOIC LEY AKOI'SES 1 RESENTMENT i VIENNA, February 21). Extraordinary precautions were taken to prevent untoward incidents at the funerals to-day of the soldiers, police, and members of the Heimwehr who were killed in the recent insurrection. Full military honours were accorded them. The procession started at 1 p.m.. and all places of amusement were closed until 6 p.m. Candles were alight in every window and black banners trailed from i the houses when the funeral was held. Flowers covered the steps of the Town Hall, where, in a semicircle, the coffins, on limbers, faced the building. Cardinal Innitzer. Dr. Dollfuss (who looked old and ill). Major Fey (Vice-Chancellor), and Dr. Schmidt spoke. Major Fey aroused resentment, even among the relatives of the victims, by declaring: "These met their death at the hands of Bolsheviks." I ! BOMB EXPLOSION IN | INNSBRUCK i \ ! INNSBRUCK, February 20. j A bomb explosion, attributed to | desperate Socialists, wrecked the ; City Hall and Library at Innsbruck, jin the Austrian Tyrol. Three perj sons were injured. Another bomb ' I blew up a wireless mast and dam- ' aged schools and electric sub-sta-tions. A bomb in the Post Office 1 garage failed to explode after the i floor had been flooded with petrol. | Five arrests were made.