SERIOUS BLOODSHED

Wairarapa Age, 14 February 1934, Page 5

SERIOUS BLOODSHED

MACHINE GUNS tc ARTILLERY USED. ANTICIPATION OF FASCIST REGIME. (Received Tuesday, 7.10 p.m.) VIENNA, February 12. Mot riots, but pitched battles gripped Austria when armaments ranging from machine-guns in many cities to howitzers in Linz were used against the hand grenade and rifle fire of armed Socialists. After a day of sporadic fighting it is difficult to estimate the numbers of dead, but it is claimed that the Government troops are completely victorious. Events moved with startling swiftness from an armed clash in Linz and elsewhere to the proclamation of martial law in Vienna, upper and lower Austria, Styria and Carinthia. “ Blood is flowing in the streets of Vienna, Linz, Steyr,’ 1 says one account, while another, from a more conservative source, declares that as a result of this inverted coup d’etat, nothing can save Austria from Fascism. The Government has seized Socialist headquarters throughout the country and arrested many of the leaders. Probably it will only be a matter cf hours before the party is officially dissolved. Despite Government assurances that order Was restored with practically no resistance except at Linz and Vienna, rejorts show that the trouble spread throughout Austria. At Eggenburg, Socialists stormed the police headquarters and troops were rushed to the rescue. At Brick, troops machine-gunned demonstrators and killed several. Graz Socialists reported that they had stormed Polla Station, in which they had barricaded themselves against beseiging troops. A strike plunged the town in darkness. At Innisbruck, the military made a baton charge. Socialists, singing the * 4 Internationale” occupied their headquarters, The Government arrested the De-puty-Mayor of Vienna and are still searching for the Mayor, Herr Seitz. Others arrested include the Mayors of Katz and Graz and the Treasurer of Vienna City. The police are also searching for Otto Bauer, leader of the Socialist Party and Foreign Minister in the 1918 Cabinet. It has been decided to deprive Vienna of all provisional rights and the Government probably will appoint Herr Schmitz, ex-Minister of Education and a strong Clerical Catholic, as State Commissioner.