REVOLT IN AUSTRIA FAILS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20978, 15 September 1931, Page 9

REVOLT IN AUSTRIA FAILS.

COUP BY THE HEIMWEIIR. SIX TOWNS OCCUPIED. RISING QUICKLY CRUSHED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Deceived September 15. 12.5 a.m.) VIENNA, Sept. 14. A sudden revolt occurred in the Austrian Province of Styria, when the Heimwehr, or Fascists, carried out a carefully planned attempt to gain control of a number of important towns. After the successful occupation of six largo centres Dr. Walt her Pfrimer, leader of the Heimwehr, proclaimed himself dictator of all Austria. Ihc revolution, which began at dawn, had ended by night-time. The Socialists immediately called out their own militia formation of workmen to counter the Heimwehr, but meanwhile it was evident that the police and the Army were not going to join forces with the rebels as the latter planned. The police marched up to (he Heimwehr barricades, overturned the barrels, cut the barbed wires and released policemen who had been imprisoned. They then arrested tho rebel ring-lead-ers, including the Prince of Star hemberg, who is Dr. Pfrimer's second in command. The leaders of the Socialists'; defence force at Vienna issued an ultimatum to the President, Dr. Wilhelm Miklas, stating that unless the Government suppressed the revolt forthwith they would mobilise and march against (ho rebels, and thereby precipitate civil war. Evidence of the thoroughness and suddenness of the uprising is provided in the fact that when tho peaceful inhabitants awoke yesterday they found armed men patrolling the streets, and placards posted up proclaiming Dr. Pfrimer dictator. All tho police on duty in tho streets were quickly overpowered and put in prison. The homes of tho Socialist Mayors were visited and they weio foiced to leave their beds to spend tho remainder of the night in prison. Beforo morning the entire police force and officials had been captured and imprisoned.

Dr Walt her Pfrimer, leader of the Austrian Ileiinwehr, was born in 1881 and became a barrister. After the collapse of Austria in 1918 ho was 0110 of the founders of the Heimwehr (home defence organisation). He later organised a nonparty self-defence corps in Styria, with which the Heinnvehr was merged in 1927. The policy of the Heinnvehr was to break the power of the Socialists, and the leaders talked of a march on Vienna, similar to Signor Mussolini's march on Home, and there has been much antagonism with the Socialists. In April, 1929, Dr. Pfrimer said a fight to a finish was coming, and talked of a dictatorship. The Heimwehr is opposed by the Republican Defence Corps, both of which have many thousands of members who are armed, i-nd include cavalry, engineers and machine-gun corps. Open fighting between these bodies has on several occasions been only narrowly averted. The Government has found it impossible to disarm them, in spite of representations l>v the League of Nations. Austria, under the peace treaties, is supposed to be disarmed. The Foreign Minister, Dr. Schober, stuted in the Austrian Chamber that at the Hague lie had been called upon to carry out disarmament, to satisfy the bankers. This angered the Heimwehr and they moved their headquarters to Graz, the capital of Styria, which is a mountainous area among the Eastern Alps. In August last year the Heimwehr held a " civil war rehearsal" in Styria. In November General Ellissen, their commander in Styria, planned an armed rush on Vienna, and the police were warned to bo ready to defend tho Constitution.