REIGN OF TERROR IN AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15885, 5 April 1915, Page 5

REIGN OF TERROR IN AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

DAILY EXECUTIONS IN MORAVIA.

TROOPS REFUSE TO ENTRAIN FOR FRONT. (Received April 4, 7.30 p.m.) London. April 3 The Morning Post's correspondent at Berne, in Switzerland, says that a reign of terror exists in Austria-Hungary. Sixteen persons were recently executed, and 46—including the Countess Icruyi- wore imprisoned in Austria for treason. Executions are taking place daily in Moravia, the governor declaring his intention to strike terror into the people. In consequence there have been fresh mutinies among the Czech troops. Two Czech regiments stationed at Prague have been transferred elsewhere. A regiment at Brunn, the capital of Moravia, refused to entrain for the front, and was decimated. A municipal councillor and 20 municipal employees were heavily sentenced at Prague for spreading unfavourable news.

Moravia, of which Brunn is the capital, is one of the old .Slavonic States incorporated in Austria-Hungary which lias preserved its nationality whilst losing its political independence. Of the total population, 71.36 per cent, are Slavs, who are scarcely distinguishable from the inhabitants of the adjacent province of Bohemia, of which Prague is the capital. The name of Czech, however, is usually reserved for the Bohemians, while the Slavs of Moravia are called Moravians. The Germans form 27.9 per cent, of the population, ami are found most lv in the towns and in the border districts. A noticeable turn of Moravian history of late years had been the active sympathy of its inhabitants with the anti-Teutonic homo-ride agitation of the Bohemian Czc< lis