Rioting Breaks

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 60, 12 March 1938, Page 5

Rioting Breaks

NAZIS BELLIGERENT

Refusal to Vote in the Plebiscite PANDEMONIUM IN VIENNA United Press Association —Bv Electric Telegraph.—Cooyrfeht VIENNA, March 10. Events are taking a sinister turn ifter the official announcement by Herr Hugo Jury, Dr. Inquart’s deputy Home Minister, that the N'azis would be ordered to abstain from voting throughout Austria on March 13. Herr Jury said: “We are resolved to adhere to the agreement of February 12, but we are not prepared to manifest our resolve in this form. The whole way in whioh the prebiscite has been arranged can be characterised only by an expression we prefer not to use. It is being done behind Cabinet’s back. The manner in which the polling will be conducted will enable an individual to vote several times, and will give officers of the Fatherland Front unrestricted control of the poll/'

Elaborate precautions are being taken to prevent disorders, which are seriously feared. The Nazis are already adopting a belligerent attitude. They are openly broadcasting that they will prevent the poll by force. It has been a day of feverish activity. Government circles are preparing plebiscite conferences with the Nazis. Several hundred Nazis later in the afternoon attempted to storm a building containing the Fatherland Front offices and smashed a door and a number of windows before being dispersed by police. Nazi crowds rioted elsewhere, and mounted police were called out. Over a million “Yes” ballot papers have already been printed. They bear the questions: “Do you stand for a free and German Austria and an Independent Austria? A Christian united Austria? Freedom in the land? Equality for all?”

Contrary to the first announcements, special “No” papers are being printed. Herr Hitler sent a special envoy, Herr Keppler, who conferred with Dr. Inquart, the pro-German Home Minister, for several hours and then returned to Berlin. In the "meantime. Nazi leaders have sent a protest to the President. Herr Miklas, stating that they consider the plebiscite illegal, and have ordered their followers to abstain from voting. Government circles reply that the Nazi decision does not alter the situation.

A Graz message reports that the Nazis are making bonfires of all Fatherland Front literature and are parading the streets shouting: “Down with Schusch nigg. Our Fuhrer is Hitler!”

London Daily Telegraph’s Vienna correspondent says that the Nazis to-day created pandemonium In the centre of the city in the hope of shaking Dr. von Schuschnigg’s courage. Kaerntner Strasse and the neighbourhood of the Cpera House were scenes of indescribable disorder. The police to-night closed the whole of the inner city. The Government has decided to take strong measu? is against outbreaks to-mor-A Ber. n message reports that the first news of the Austrian plebiscite appeared this afternoon in a brief official summary. Germany newspapers generally ask: “Why the haste? How can a true index to Austrian feeling be obtained when there are no voting lists and no control? The plebiscite is open to all sorts of abuses.” THREAT OF “BLOODY DISORDERS” NAZIS WILL WRECK PLEBISCITE VIENNA, March 10. • Nazi extremists threaten to wreck the plebiscite by “bloody disorders on March 13 which will force Herr Hitler to march to restore peace.” Sixty lorryloads of troops and police were sent to Styria to night. The situation there is regarded as very serious. Thirty thousand Nazis took possession of the streets of Graz for six hours. Many were injured. Dr. von Schuschnigg conferred with Dr. Inquart, who is reported to have threatened his resignation unless the plebiscite was called off and more Nazis included in the Cabinet.