Evening Post. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1934. THE RIGHTS OF AUSTRIA

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 50, 28 February 1934, Page 8

Evening Post. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1934. THE RIGHTS OF AUSTRIA

The critical position of Austria, the embarrassments of the rival Powers respectively concerned to maintain and to destroy her independence, and the almost complete uncertainty as to what-will happen next either inside or outside her frontiers have resulted during the last feiv days in a plentiful supply of rumours which cannot all be true but may possibly all be false. Yesterday the "Daily Mail's" Vienna correspondent was quoted as "suggesting" that Austria was beginning negotiations for an agreement with Germany.' Another report "hinted" that the Heimwehr (Fascists) would march on Vienna and seize the reins of government, while a third quoted Prince .Starhemberg, the Fascist leader, as saying that Austria's only possibilities are an "anschluss" (union) or co-operation under the aegis of Italy. It is one of the paradoxes of Austrian politics that Austria, of which the population is 90 per cent. German, and which at first took the name of "German Austria," was for fourteen years overwhelmingly in favour, of the "anschluss" with Germany that the Peace Treaty prohibited, but.has since been converted by its fear'of the German Nazis. Another of these paradoxes is that, though as recently as January 11 the Austrian Socialists had made an offer to Dr. Dollfuss's Christian Social Party,of "an alliance in order to combat Nazi influence and Fascism in defence of Austrian independence," it was they who a bare month later were the objects of the terrible attack from a Government representing the other two parties which has changed the face of Austrian politics and perilously complicated the international position.

i But, whether .there is any truth in the suggestion that this same Government is now. opening negotiations with. Nazi Germany or not, Austria's ultimate choice seems still to lie between being swallowed by Germany and co-operating with Italy. ,- For Italy the problem has long been one of great perplexity, since she ■ can neither afford to quarrel with, the State whose attitude to the League of Nations; to, treaty revision, and to other important issues so closely resembles her ownj nor to allow that State by the annexation of Austria to acquire a position of irresistible strength: It is this dilemma which has paralysed .the usually • resolute diplomacy of Signor Mussolini and made1 the Four-Power Pact to which he was giving, so powerful a start ! nearly a .year ago ,a worthless' scrap jof paper. .While the ' interests of I Italy were being just as gravely threatened as those of Britain, France, and' Europe, generally by Herr Hitler's outrageous attacks on the independence of Austria, it was necessary for Italy to prove.that she was still Germany's best friend, and thus it was that, while France and Britain joined in a protest on Austria's behalf and were rewarded with an insolent reply for so.doing, Signor Mussolini's ostentatiously independent "friendly representations," ; though equally futile, still kept him "on'side." There have, however, been several indications .that Austria's recent explosion may have at last shaken Italy's strong man off the fence. While the friends of freedom in all parts of Europe and America were lamenting the action of the Dollfuss Government and doubting its success, it was clear that a very different impression had been produced in Italy. Dr. Dollfuss was congratulated by the Italian Press on the decisive action which had given the Socialists no more than they deserved.- While Vienna was counting its dead, the "Giornale if Italia," in an article which was {.a'JJ to be "obviously inspired," reminded "the new Austria" —an Austria renovated, we must suppose, by the Fascist tactics of- her Government—that she had "a real and vigilant friend in Italy." Vigilant rather than active has been the friendship displayed for Austria during the last eight or nine months by the best friend of Germany, but now it may be that a change is coming. The article proceeded as follows:—

Owing to its material, spiritual, and foreign backing, Austrian . Socialism could afford to be arrogant, and a decisive battle with Socialism was inevitable. -Dr. Dollfuss intends to create a. strong, authoritative centralised State, ivith a corporative regime similar to Fascist Italy.

In a country where the Press is so well regulated as it is in Italy the friendliness of this article may be regarded as official, but as no action was promised it might still be friendliness of that platonic, type with which Austria has hitherto had to be content. A few days later, however, Italian diplomacy officially entered | the sphere of action, and it did so in .concert with the two Powers whose offer, of co-operation it had previously declined.

Austria had inquired about the French, Italian, and British attitudes

to the dossier that she had prepared in support of her appeal to Geneva against German interference in her internal affairs. According to a communique which was cabled on February 19, the material part of the joint reply was as follows: "The three Governments have held conversations^ this matter, and the result has shown1 that they take a common view regarding the necessity of maintaining Austrian independence and integrity in accordance with relevant treaties." What that "common view" is was explained by a reference in the [Same message to the British attitude as stated in the aide-memoire which was read by Sir John Simon in the House of Commons on February 13:

Tho integrity and independence of Austria are tho object of British policy, and while his Majesty's Governnient has no intention whatever of interfering in tho internal affairs of another country, it fully recognises the right of Austria to demand that there should be no interference with her internal affairs from any other quarter. This statement, in which Italy as well as France may now be taken to have concurred, does not merely commit the three Powers to support the "status quo" against the "anschluss" which the Treaty forbids and Germany is seeking to enforce. It seems also to commit them to a complete recognition of Austria's right to freedom from interference with her internal affairs from any quarter and of any kind.

It is, however,, equally clear that none of the three Powers is" committed to any definite course o£ action in defence of Austria's rights, and what action, if any, Italy is or will be prepared to take remains to be seen. In the meantime the interpretation placed upon her attitude in Berlin is a matter of exceptional interest and importance. On Monday reports were said to be accumulating in London of increased tension between Rome and Berlin, and also of increased harmony, promoted by Rome, between Vienna and Budapest.

Tho change in the tone of the German Press towards Italy is unmistakable, while tho Duco is no longer a persona grata at Berlin, where the newspapers betray a fear of the formation of a Customs union between Italy, Austria, and Hungary, which they argue could'only be a political attempt to stabilise Austrian independence.

This report derives a special interest from the part, assigned to Hungary, whose friendship for Germany has sometimes seemed to be more secure than that of Italy herself, and its moral effect is strengthened by the Pope's scathing denunciation of Hitlerism which was reported at the same time. As the stabilisation of Austrian independence will go far towards stabilising the peace of the world we mayMvel.l hope that the fears of the Nazis are well founded.