The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-09-25
AUSTRIAN SOCIALISTS
EXTRADITE WORKERS

IN the last few months the situa
ton of the political refugees has
become very grave. Formerly politi-
cal fugitives served a term of three
days Imprisonment for having VIC
lated the Austrian laws by entering
the country without proper papers,
and were sure of receiving permits
sion to stay. Now, however, the
Austrian authorities use this punish
ment as an excuse for OBTAINING
them and of finally getting rid Of
them altogether. If the political
fugitive appeals then he is held
under arrest until the settlement of
the matter, which sometimes lasts
for months, although an appeal has
effect of postponing sentence.
Everyone who has lodged an appeal
has the right to stay in Vienna.
But it is not only the general at
titude of the authorities to the emf
grants which needs attention. The
Austrian government is deliberately
aiming at abolishing the right of
asylum for political refugees alto
gether by extraditing" them to their
governments. After the extradition
of Bella Kun had been prevented by
a storm of protest from all over the
world, it was the Austrian represent
tatives at the conference for inter-
national law in Warsaw who de-
manded with reference to this case
that such political refugees should
| be repatriated who were sought for
by their own governments for ac-
lions threatening human life. This
motion was, as is known, adopted by
the commission and wilfs determine
the new extradition practice unless
the working class resist this new
move with all possible energy.
The latest happenings in austria
demand close attention from work
ers in all countries.
The Case of Burcul.
In January 1928, Bartol Burcul,
shoemaker who had fled from
| Yugoslavia was arrested on the way
from Hainborg to Vienna. AS Bur-
cul had no identity papers with him
the Austrian authorities made en-
quiries of the Yugoslavian sauthori-
ties with a view to establishing his
identity.
The Yugoslavian government then
lodged request for the extraditior
of Burcul on the ground that he had
participated in murder. Although
the Austrian authorities demanded
proofs of this, the government was
not able to produce them.
In the meantime the trial of Bur-
cul's fellow accused took place in
Yugoslavia. Burcul was tried in his
absence, and all the accused who
were charged with the same crime
as Burcul were sentenced for par
ticipating in a strike and for doing
bodily harm to strikebreakers. The
accused received sentences ranging
from three to eight months i'm
prisonment and some of them were
acquitted.
Courts Severe.
The general severity of the Yugo-
slavian courts against workers is
well-known. If these men were SEN
fenced to a few months imprison-
ment only, then it is clear that there
can be no question whatever of muir
der DR.. Valentine Rosenfield the
lawyer of Burcul pointed this out
to the Austrian authorities and de-
clared that Burcul was sought for
by the Yugoslavian authorities for
the reason that he was an active
trade unionist, and as such had taken
a leading part in the workers
strikes.
The Austrian authorities kept
Burcul in prison for six months al
though he had committed nothing
for which he could be punished in
Austria with more than three days
Imprisonment. His lawyer and the
Red Aid organization worked I'M
ceasingly to secure his release. For
time the Burcul case was develop.
ing favorably, for parcel of under
clothing sent to him by the Red Aid
was accepted with objection by the
prison authorities.
But when on the 2Sth of July the
lawyer Of Burcul enquif&d for him
he was informed by the authorities
that Burcul had been sent off on
that same day to Yugoslavia in the
custody of detectives. Burcul was
therefore extradited without the au-
thorities even taking the trouble to
inform his lawyer of the pending
extradition.
The extradition took place al
though the result of his trial in
Yugoslavia showed absolutely clear
: ly that he was not wanted by the
Yugoslavian authorities for muir.
der, but for participating in strikes.
Burcul was therefore obviously p6-
litical fugitive, and as such had the