AXE FOR EXECUTIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21562, 5 August 1933, Page 11

AXE FOR EXECUTIONS

NEW PRUSSIAN DECREE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS DRASTIC REGULATIONS Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright BERLIN. Aug. 3 The Premier of Prussia, Captain Goering, has decreed that the.guillotine shall be replaced by tho axe for executions, except in cases whore a rope or a rifle are specifically indicated. The decree declares that the axe provides tho surest means of killing and that its use has never given rise to objections. Captain Goering also has decreed ?.n alteration in the prison regulations, introducing real Prussian discipline. Under the new rules, according to Nazi newspapers, prisoners serving terms of imprisonment with hard labour will not be housed in comfortable heated cells equipped with running water and decorated with pictures. Nor will these prisoners be allpwed to smoke, read the newspapers, keep canaries, see films, or make out-door excursions in the charge of warders. Instead they will havo to face severe punishment on a diet of bread and water in £ dark cell, with chains on their arms and legs, in tho event of an infringement of the regulations. The Nazis believe drastic punishment will make prisoners cautious before they commit further crimes .in order to secure readmission to the comfortable homes which the prisons have been under the Socialists. DESIGNS ON AUSTRIA UNDERTAKINGS IGNORED LEAFLETS AND BROADCASTS British Wireless RUGBY, Aug. 3 Tho distribution of leaflets from German aeroplanes flying over Austria, inciting the Austrian population against their own Government, and broadcast talks which have been delivered from South German radio stations appealing to Austrians to support the Nazis in Austria, have created a situation which is under consideration by tl}6 Governments of France, Italy and Britain. The situation is being dealt with in the light of Article 80 of the Treaty of Versailles and the preamble to the Four-Power Pact. By Article 80 Germany " acknowledges and will respect strictly the independence of Austria within frontiers which may be fixed in the treaty.." Also Germany undertook that this independence should bo inalienable except with tho consent of the Council of the League of Nations. In tho preamble to the Four-Power Pact the signatory Governments expressed their conviction that the stato of disquiet' which obtained throughout the world could only be dissipated by reinforcing their solidarity in such a way as to strengthen confidence in Europe. In response to requests the Austrian Government furnished the British, French and Italian Ministers in Vienna with details relative to the incidents referred to, but did not couple with its information a request for intervention. NAZIS DENOUNCED SPIRIT OF THE TYROL "AUSTRIA STABBED IN BACK" All Austria listened intently for two hours on Juno 29 to the broadcast of an anti-Nazi demonstration at Innsbruck, the capital of the Austrian Tyrol, where Dr. Dollfuss, the Chancellor, held a military review in which more than 40,000 persons took part. Special trains during the night had brought 25,000 armed farmers from all parts of the Tyrol, and there were also •soldiers of the Tyrolese Heiinwehr (Nationalist) organisation, young farmers of the Tyrolese League of Youth, students in gala uniforms, Scouts, members of the Men's Catholic associations, war veterans, and ex-oflk cers in the old Imperial uniform. About 100,000 people watched tho parade. A march composed by an Innsbruck man and dedicated to Dr. Dollfuss, ''Wake Up Young Austria," was played before the Chancellor began his speech, which was punctuated with roars of applause. The Austrians, Dr. Dollfuss insisted, were a German people, but were determined to preserve their independence at all costs. "In recent .years," he said, "our people have followed false programmes and false prophets, and j our Parliament has collapsed. I have repeatedly declared that such parliamentarism shall not return to Austria. "We are always ready to bo friends with Germany, but no party which uses bombs and hand grenades shall share in our government, for such a party is not capable of government. Just as in the world war, we will give our l&st drops of blood to defend our homes. Austria's period of naked materialism is over, and self-sacrifice and patriotism have been reawakened. We have been stabbed in the back while dealing with Marxism, and are trying to uproot it and destroy it for ever."