Cable News WILL GREAT BRITAIN BE EMBROILED?

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 143, 14 March 1938, Page 10

Cable News WILL GREAT BRITAIN BE EMBROILED?

The Crisis In Austria

PERIL LIES IN PROVOKING CZECHOSLOVAKIA Loudon, March 11. There are indications that Great Britain will not be embroiled in the Austrian crisis, states the Australian Associated Press. Every effort is being made from Downing Street to prevent an extension of the repercussions. The situation as Downing Street sees it is that, even with forcible action by Germany, how can other Powers forcibly retaliate? The British public at the moment certainly would not tolerate intervention. France is without a Government. Italy, if she adheres to the Rome-Berlin axis, would seem to be precluded. Nevertheless, the peril as the British Government sees it is that Germany s action may precipitate moves further afield. The immediate danger is that the German mobilisation in Bavaria may provoke Czechoslovakia, whose intervention would .inevitably .embroil France if France adhered to the treaty between the two countries.

It is rarely that such strong words are used by one Government to another as Mr. Chamberlain and Lord Halifax i used to the German Foreign Minister, Herr von Ribbentrop, this afternoon. Britain is thrown back into the position of 1936, when Mr. Baldwin, in the House of Commons, ma'de the momentous utterance, “Our frontier is on the Rhine.’’ • . Herr von Ribbentrop, and his wife, in a car flying a swastika flag, drove to Buckingham Palace and were received by Their Majesties. Subsequently they were the guests of the Prime Minister at'luncheon. Herr von Ribbentrop remained with Mr. Chamberlain and Lord Halifax, Foreign Secretary, for pnly twenty minutes after lunch, and then left for Berlin by plane. The Australian Associated Press says that-Mr. Chamberlain and Lord Halifax discussed with Herr von Ribbentrop the latest news from Austria and expressed to Herr von Ribbentrop Britain’s grave concern at the methods adopted by Germany, the possible repercussions, »and the effect on AngloGerman relations. The German Government has denied that it has issued an ultimatum to Austria, and has also denied mobilisation in Bavaria. Reuter’s Vienna correspondent states that an ultimatum was presented to Dr. Schuschnigg by Gauleiter Burckel, the Nazi provincial governor, who headed a delegation. The Austrian Ambassador spent forty minutes at the Foreign Office. \

AUSTRIA’S PLIGHT

Her Post-War Difficulties (Continued from previous page.) Italy, one of whose cardinal maxims of foreign policy was to avoid having Germany for an immediate neighbour with contiguous frontiers. As that would be the result of the incorporation of Austria into the Reich, the political independence of Austria has, until now, had the steady and active support in all circumstances of Italy and Signor Mussolini.: The Berlin-Rome axis has, however, to some extent (how much is not yet known), cramped Signor Mussolini’s style in this latest crisis. /

On March 7, 1933, Dollfuss became a dictator in Austria. His prestige was greatly enhanced when, in October, he was wounded by a shot from an assassin. AU the time, however, Nazism was growing apace in the country. As a buffer to the encroachments of the Nazis Dollfuss may be said to have had the support of the Heimwehr, the private army of Prince von Starhemberg. This army had, for years, been carrying on a “war” with the Austrian Socialists. Strikes broke out in several places an'd were put down by force. There were even small outbreaks of civil war. Thing* cime to a head in July, 1934. “On June o 0,” says John Gunther, “inside Germany, the Nazis went Al Capone [Captain Roehm was murdered by Nazis at Herr Hitler’s orders], and on July 25 these methods crossed into a neighbouring land [Austria]. The assassination of Dollfuss was a deliberate exercise in policy; the Nazis had to murder Dollfuss because every other method to 'defeat him failed. The story of the Dollfuss killing is that of an orI ganised conspiracy to murder.”

Scliuschnigg’s Rule. But having got rid of Dollfuss the Nazis were unable to capture the Government. The Putsch was a failure (it was badly bungled), and several of the ring-leaders were hanged. . Italy, by massing troops along the Brenner Pass, gave emphasis to her warning to Germany that she would tolerate no attempt to interfere with the independence of Austria. Shortly a.fterward three Powers—Britain, France, and Italy—reaffirmed the principle of Austria’s independence. Plans to secure the cooperation of neighbouring States in Central Europe for the purpose of aiding in the maintenance of that independence were frowned on by Signor Mussolini, who regarded Austria as his own preserve. Also, he was intolerant of interference by the League of Nations.

Dollfuss was succeeded by Dr. Kurt von Schuschnigg, who has now re ; signed in the face of German force. By a series of carefully co-ordinated steps

he consolidated his position as dictator in 1936. He proclaimed, on April 1, 1936, the readoption of universal national military service for all men, “with or without arms,” from their eighteenth to their forty-second year, preliminary to recreating a conscript army forbidden by the St. Germain Treaty’. On May 14 he forced out of the Cabinet Prince Starhemberg, who appeared, banking all on the Heimwehr, to be making a bid for power. Dr. Schuschnigg reached, on July 11, 1936, an agreement with Herr Hitler, Italy approving. By it Germany recognised Austria’s complete sovereignty, and agreed not to meddle in her internal affairs. Certain restrictions on trade .were also removed. Austria promised to bring her "political policies, especially insofar as they’ concern the German Reich, into conformity with the fundamental recognition of principle that Austria professes herself to be a German State.” This pledge, which opened the way to Austro-Geripan union in one form or another, was not to affect Austria’s special relations with Italy and Hungary. Prior to this Dr. Schuschnigg and Prince Starhemberg had issued an undisguised snub to Germany. Prince Starhemberg declared in January, 1936, “we will never agree to become a province of Greater Prussia, and intend to remain independent and free. Austrian history is inseparable from the Habsburgs [monarchy], and Austria is inseparable from the Habsburgs.” There is a large body of people in Austria who favour the return of the monarchy in the person of Prince Otto. But this view is not shared by Herr Hitler. In his book “Mein Kampf’ (“My Struggle”), and often referred to as “the German Bible,” he says, “German Austria will have to return to the great German Motherland, but not for economic reasons. . . - Common blood should belong to a German Reich.” "Logically,” says a writer, “Austria ought to wish to go with Germany. Her blood is almost solidly German, her language is German, her history is inextricably’ mixed up with that of the German people. . . . The Dollfuss tragedy’ was a serious blow to the movement for joining Germany. ... A King in Austria [prevented by the Peace Treaty] would be the best possible guar antee against union with Germany. . .

So far as one could gather, the res foration would be accepted by Austrian public opinion.”' This step is opposed by the Little Entente (Rumania, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia), which fears it will be the first step in the reconstitution of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire out of which much of their own territories were formed. The present determined attitude of Germany toward Austria, and through that toward the Great Powers in Europe, is the first real trial of her strength. It is her first real attempt since the waj; to take a step along the road of dominating Europe