The Washington herald., 1917-05-21
ANGRY AUSTRIAN MOBS
RIOT AT U. S. BREAK
Anh-German Element on the Side of
Democracy.
lcopyizht, Dn. hy the Mcclure Nsvspaper


London, April 2s.-Extraordinary anger
and bitterness which eliminated In
street riots in Budapest and Vienna
we're manifested throughout the dual
empire when the curt announcement was
given out on April that relations had
been severed with the United States.
The censorship has since been working
overtime to prevent any hint OF this
trouble reaching the outside world, but
I am able o announce the discomfort
OF the Austr J-Hungarian people at what
is called "th American war" on the au-
thority Of a neutral diplomat IN London
who has re eived an account Of what
has been goi lg on in Vienna from col
league there
Disnay and wrath at the break with
America were especially strong in Buda-
pest So strong was the feeling that for
several days no editorials were permit
ted to appear in any Of the newspapers.
while mobs In the streets shouted for
bread. peace and the dismissal Of Count
Czsrnin, the unpopular foreign minister.
who is blamed for the new war. The
people had welcomed with the deepest
relief President Wilson's remark In his
war speech to Congress that no action
would be taken against Austria. and the
prompt move. of Vienna under orders
from Berlin came as a stunning and
most unpalatabls surprise
Check Gold Flow.
p Mar feeling centers around the fact
that there are 100000 Hungarians in the
United States. whose surplus earnings in
peace times support the populations OF
whole districts in Hungary and in Cali
eia- The public feels that war with Amer
ica VIII IN some way ALLEVIATE these en-
migrants and prevent the flow Of gold to
the old country even after peace Is de-
clared. The most exaggerated ideas are
also current about the ability of Amer
lea to send promptly enormous masses
OF troops to the west front.
In the cities, the industrial classes have
seiBed on the break with the United
States to give voice to their dsep loath
ing for the Germans. Prussia is hated
by the masses, and cries aEainst the
Germans are frequent in the street dem
onstrations which now continually take
place in Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Ag-
ram, and other large cities. The public
holds Berlin responsible for the subma-
rine warfare which brought the United
States into the war, and cannot under
stand why Austria could not decline to
accept any responsibility for occurrences
at sea and thus remain at peace with
America
DiSunIon Ideas Rife
The break with America, together
with the ferment caused by the Rus
sian revolution. is held responsible
for the political crisis of extraordi-
nary gravity in Austria Hungary, that
has brought the German and Slav ele-
ments Into such bitter opposition that
some observers profess to believe there
Is no solution possible but the break
up Of the monarchy into separate
states with boundary lines drawn as
nearly as possible on the principle Of
nationality. The German element has
hitherto ruled the subject nations in
Austria with a rod OF iron, but as
Germany visibly approaches defeat the
other races are becoming more than
restivs.
The Magyars, the dominant race in
Hungary whose tyranny has been
worse il anything than that of the
Germans in Austria, show signs of
breaking away from the rule of Ber-
lin exercised through the foreign min
istry in Vienna, and the independence
party, which desires to form a sepa-
rate Magyar state. is gaining strength
daily.
v view Of these facts, of the ter
RIFE and increasing popular distress
aEd Of the decline of the monarchy's
military strength. the Viennese war
lords are striving with desperation and
despair to patch up a separate peace
with Russia in time to save the dy-
nasty and their own jobs and liber-
ties. A F. whyte. NJ. p, a well known
student Of Near Eastern affairs, con-
sented to discuss the situation in Aus
tria-Hungary, and flatly stated:
Military Gag Rule.
IT we can remove the gag Of military
rule in Austria Hungary the subject
races Of the dual monarchy will by
large majority proclaim their solidarity
with the democraCies of France, Great
Britain, Russia and America"
Asked to discuss the Austrian peace
overtures. Mr.: Whyte said: The recent
proclamation of the Russian provisional
government that Russia proposed no an
nexations seemed to offer to the central
POWERS an opportunity of separating one
Of the allies from the entente, and the
first maneuvers to this end were made
through the Socialist party In Germany.
1t is obvious that the German Socialists
would not have gone to Stockholm unless
specially permitted by their own govern
ment Their mission was officially rec
ognized. II not directly prompted, by the
German au horities. But at Stockholm
they appear to have met with disappOint-
nent. for what Germany wanted from
Russia was something for nothing.
The Austrian advance, part Of the
same maneuver. fell into rather a differ
Russia Is in effect this: You don't want
territory; you are at last enlightened
enough to see that the central powers
feel as you do and are only fighting in
self-defense. Why, then, should We go
on fighting?
But Russia and Austria-Hungary no
longer speak the same political language.
Russia has already achieved. so far as
lies In her power, one of the supreme
objects Of the war-the dethronement of
absolutism. The Austro-Hungarian for
eign minister Is the mouthpiece of an
sutocrat, and that worst Of all autocrats,
one inspired from Berlin. Therefore he
Is unable to speak on equal terms with
the Russian government since he cannot
claim 10 be che real representative OF
his own peor's.
1T is possible to interpret this move
toward Russia as an attempt to escape
from the German grasp, and the hesita-
ton to support the project of Germanic
Central Europe seems to confirm this
impression. The German newspapers are
fun Of angry protests at Austria's per-
fidy.
May BE Trick.
"on the other hand. II may % an part
OF the slim policy of the Gerr an foreign
ONCE. I distrust these Ger ian news
paper outeries. We have theT whenever
u suits the German policy, anu they may