AUSTRIA REARMS

Taranaki Daily News, 31 August 1933, Page 5

AUSTRIA REARMS

OTHER NATIONS TO AGREE GARRISONS STRENGTHENED RESULT OF BORDER TENSION AUXILIARY FORCE OF 8000 DENIAL OF CONSCRIPTION British Wireless. Rugby, August 29. An agreement will probably be concluded within a few days embodying conditions in which the British, French and Italian Governments consent to the request by the Austrian Government for permission to raise a special auxiliary force of 8000 men. The Governments of the Little Entente Powers are understood to have been consulted and have agreed. The Austrian request arises as the result of the tension existing on the Austro-German frontier.

By the terms of the Saint German Treaty the Austrian army is allowed 30,000 men, but it has never been up to full strength. Derogation from the treaty consists in the enlistment of recruits for the new force on short service instead of for the normal 12-year-period. It is stipulated that this enlistment will not be for less than five or more than six months. Under the Versailles Treaty it is permissible for Austria to enrol 8000 police temporarily for one year. The British repudiate the German allegations that the enrolment constitutes conscription. Austrian Socialists condemn the recruitment of auxiliaries and are summoning protest meetings. The Daily Mail states that Austrian garrisons are being strengthened throughout the Tyrolean frontier. Sharpshooters are posted at various points and auxiliary police are being enrolled in Vienna,