NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY FRIDAY, JULY 27, 1934. THE AUSTRIAN TRAGEDY

Northern Advocate, 27 July 1934, Page 6

NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY

FRIDAY, JULY 27, 1934. THE AUSTRIAN TRAGEDY

Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper.

Another chapter in the bloodstained history of Europe during recent months lias been written in Vienna. It is too soon, to determine the influences which resulted in the shooting of Dr. Dollfuss, the Austrian Chancellor, and the other tragic developments of a Nazi coup, but it is clear that a crisis attended by far-reaching effects has occurred. Information relative to the rising is conflicting, but there is no room for doubt that Nazis, by a clever ruse, obtained entrance to the Austrian Chancellory and other Government, offices, and shot in cold blood Dr. Dollfuss, who was caught unarmed and unprotected. They also made prisoner other members of the Ministry. What happened next is not clear. It was first reported that the Nazis, after capturing the Chancellory, went to the Ravag broadcasting station and compelled the announcer, at the point of the revolver. to broadcast a statement that the Chancellor and his Ministers had resigned. An act of this kind would be clever tactics in keeping with the general coup, but later news suggests that the capture of the broadcasting station was the work of eight boys, who. according to a woman who lived near-by, did their work in a very simple manner and then held off for some time troops who eventually regained possession of the building. This story may be true, but it is open to grave suspicion. The Nazis, after the shooting of the Chancellor, were evidently arrested, but, by agreement between the.. German ambassador and the Austrian Government, they were released and given safe conduct to the frontier. For allowing the murderers to escape, the ambassador is said, to have been recalled, though a later message states that the murderers arc to be tided by a -special tribunal, the only judgment of which can be the death penalty. There the story stands at the moment. What the coup really means will become clearer when fuller news is obtainable. The question to which an answer is most urgently needed is whether the crime has a purely domestic significance, or whether it was, directed by the Nazi Government in Germany. Protestation of innocence has been made by Germany, the Government of which has expressed sympathy with Austria in the death of its Chancellor. That, however, is not impressive, though it is quite possible that the Nazi Government may have been no more responsible for the coup than Serbia was for the world-rocking crime at Serajevo. It is well known that the Nazi element in Austria has been working energetically, if surreptitiously. to end the rule of Dr, Dollfuss, There have been numerous Nazi outrages, and it was stated a month ago that wellinformed quarters took a serious view of the intensification of terrorist campaigns against the Chancellor’s Government organised and financed from Munich. This suggests that Germany’s protestation of innocence today may not be worth much. The Austrian Government had appealed to the country for collaboration with the authorities in the prevention of terrorism. There was also announced the establishment of a voluntary constabulary throughout Austria

and tlio re-introduetion of the death penalty for eases tried under tlie ordinary, as distinct from summary, procedure. It was a coincidence that the first execution under this procedure was reported yesterday just before news of the coup was received. This is sufficient to indicate that Nazi activity was causing genuine alarm in Austrian Governmental circles. The question was one in which Italy was keenly interested, and it is significant that Signor Mussolini and Dr. Doll fuss were to have met at Iv'iccione today. The Duee was believed to be pledged to support the Chancellor, as Italy could not allow Austria to become a Nazi State virtually under German control. That is public opinion, though it is a matter for comment that nothing is known of the decisions reached when Hitler and Mussolini met a few weeks ago. ■Secret diplomacy si ill prevails. M is reported that Italian troops are marching on the Austrian frontier, but it is also stated that Italy’s action will depend upon Britain’s attitude. Italy is anxious on this score, and, as was the case in the Great War, Britain’s pronouncement of policy is fraught with grave consequences.