Evening star., 1933-02-18
ARMS ULT|MATUM
CREATES SENSATION
IN CENTRAL EUROPE
Diplomats and Press of Four
Nations Stirred by Franco
British Note to Austria.
BY JOHN GUNTHER.
BY Cable to The Star.

By Cable to The Star.
BERLIN. Germany, February 1S.-
Central Europe is in the throes of its
greatest political crisis today since the
ill-fated attempt at an Austro- German
customs union and perhaps since the
World War.
Diplomats with agitated faces are
going from chancellery to chancellery,
long-distance telephones are buzzing
between Paris, London, Vienna and
Rome, ponderous coded kilograms are
being deciphered and the press is
screaming.
With the Franco British ultimatum
to Austria over the Hirtenberg guns
scandal, it appears that the status quo
powers have finally taken the diplomatic
offensive throughout Central Europe.
Heretofore it has been the revisionist
powers, particularly Italy and Hungary,
which have been aggressive. For the
most part France and the little entente
(Yugoslavia, Rumania, Czechoslovakia)
have been lying low and keeping quiet,
waiting for the proper time for a
counter attack.
First Move Creates Bloc.
Now it has come.
The first move was the creation Of q
single bloc out of the three little entente
countries, as reported in these dis
patches YESTERDAY
The second IS the amazing ultimatum
Of France and Great Britain to Little
Austria. The terms, as revealed by
the Italian press and reported here, in
cluding the following demands:
l. The $4,000 rifles and 200 machine
guns shipped from Italy to the Hirten-
berg Arms Factory near Vienna, Aus
tria, must be returned to Italy, pro-
vided they are still in Austria.
2. If the arms have been trans
shipped to Hungary, Austria must give
a full explanation Of this violation Of
the treaties.
3. If the Italian consigner refuses to
reaccept the arms, they must be de-
stroyed
f. Austrian officials must swear on
oath that they will fulfill these con-
ditions and full details must be pro-
This ultimatum is being compared by
the outraged Austria press to the one
which followed Sarajevo and preceded
the World War. 1t is considered an
unprecedented and astonishing attack
on the sovereign dignity of friendly
power.
Italy Real Target.
The ultimatum, of course, Is really
directed to Italy, but France and Great
Britain would not dare affront Italy In
such fortnight terms
In effect, the status quo powers say
that they caught Italy, Austria and
Hungary red-handed in direct sabotage
of the peace treaties and they demand
q showdown
What will be the Italo- -Austro- Hun
garian reply?
First, the crisis is likely to force the
government of Chancellor Engelbert
DoDfuss out of power in Austria and
veiled Fascist regime under Deputy
Anton Rintelen may follow.
Second, the Austrian press brings
charges of arms shipments from
CZechoslovakia to Yugoslavia and al
leges plans of the little entente general
staff to invade Austria through the
Burgenland Corridor in the event of
war between Italy and Yugoslavia.
1t Is also thought that the ultlmatum
may be an initial threat foreshadowing
an attempt by the allies to force Aus
trla to join the little entente.
In any case, Central Europe is GER
tainly divided into two armed camps
again.
(Copyrght 1880