BRUTE FORCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21742, 6 March 1934, Page 9

BRUTE FORCE

AUSTRIAN TROOPS TREATMENT OF WORKERS SOCIALISTS IN GAOL 'ALLEGED SUFFERINGS BEATEN 08, BAYONETED Bj' Telegraph—Pre."# Association—Copyright (Received March 5. 5.15 p.m.) LONDON, March 4 The News Chronicle's special investigator in Austria says extreme brutality continues in most of the Austrian prisons, which are filled with 6000 Social Democrats. Hundreds of the prisoners were beaten with rubber truncheons until thev agreed to give evidence against their leaders at the approaching trials. Others were bayoneted in underground cells. Heimwehr troops, under the orders of the Vice-Chancellor, Major Fey, and the Heimwehr leader, Prince Starhembe:rg, have ruthlessly searched workers' houses, threatened women, terrorised children and knocked out suspects' teeth with rifle barrels. As the result of these incidents, says the correspondent, workers are joining this Nazis in large numbers. Many, limply in a spirit of revenge, arc determined to be "in at tho death." ONE BIG UNION /GOVERNMENT'S SCHEME CONTROL BY MINISTRY (Received March 5. 5.15 p.m.) < ' VIENNA. March \ The Austrian Cabinet has approved a draft plan for creating a comprehensive trades union under the supervision of tho Ministry of Social Welfare, grouping all privately-employed wage-earners, buvexcl uding civil servants and Federal railway employees. The new union will be empowered to conclude collective agreements, initiate the settlement of collective disputes and lifeguard the interests of members. NAZI AGITATORS (. PRECAUTIONARY ARRESTS THE NEW CONSTITUTION 7 VIENNA, March 4 The police at Klagenfurt, in order to prevent an attempt by 100 Nazis to disturb a meeting of 15,000 peasants, beiing addressed by Dr. Dollfuss, made many arrests. Several peoplo were injured.. The Chancellor promised the publication of an outline of the new Constitution within the week. This, he said, woidd largely preserve the autonomous administration of the Federal States and would be operative until corporate reconstruction was completed. y ARMED CONFLICT NO DANGER AT PRESENT ' f/ VIEWS OF DIPLOMATS ji LONDON. Feb. 27 The Daily Telegraph says most foreign diplomats do not consider that there is. any danger of armed conflict over Austria, because no Power is willing to be the first to violate the Austrian frontier and thus put itself in the wrong, but tho German Nazis may help tho Austrian Nazis by means of money, propaganda, and the smuggling of anps. Signor Mussolini will give Dr. Dollfu.'is and the Heimwehr any assistance possible without a breach of the peace," the paper says, " but he does not propose to upset the other Powers by urging a Customs union between Italy, Austria, and Hungary, nor is Signor Mussolini pushing the restoration of the Hapsburgs, to which there are obvious obstacles, including the fact that tho Premier of Hungary, Dr. Goemboijs, is personally anti-monarchist, widle Hungary will not willingly share a monarch with Austria. " Italy makes no secret of her determination to oppose any German hegemony in Austria or French domination of the Danube basin, and is also determined to counter any overtures by the Entente toward Austria and Hungary." The correspondent of the British "United Press at Linz, Austria, says: — "Travellers from Czecho-Slovakia report moveihents of troops in the direction of the Austro-German frontier due to ruipours that Austrian Nazis in Bavaria intend to invade Austria across tho south-west corner of Czecho-Slovakia. " It is also reported that the CzeclioSlovakian Government anticipates an ea:rly return of Archduke Otto to the th:roiie, and intends to invade Austria directly there is such a violation of the Peace Treaties."