Evening star., 1933-05-30
BY FREDERICK t. BIRCHALL.
VIENNA. May 80 CN.AN.A).-The

BY FREDERICK T. BIRCHALL.
Y VIENNA. May 80 CN.A.N.A).-The
big room in the chancellor's
W palace in the BallhausplatZ is
J bright and cheerful on Sum
day morning under the blue
! sky that Summer brings to Vienna.
| The big fiat-topped desk in the center
is piled high with books and papers
that belle the cheerfulness Of the room
and the morning, for they seem mostly
to deal with economics, and economics
on the brightest days are dull stun.
At the desk is little man. gray
suited and quite young. whose person.
ality somehow seems to overcome the
handicap of littleness in that big room
and fill it. The man Is full OF vitality
and is all nerves and energy. exudlng
mental force as does Mussolini-not a
very big man either.
This man is under 40. according to
the records. and to look at him he
might be even younger, although mem
tai concentration has already marked
lines in his face and he looks a little
tired.
He may we'll be, for this is Dr. En-
gelbert Dollfuss. chancellor of Austria,
who alone among the statesmen OF Eu-
rope has given German Hitlerism
real setback and has halt7d it on the
borders of his own country so that its
threatened sweep over Southeastern
Europe has been certainly postponed II
not definitely stopped.
Supported by Austrians.
There are newly arrived adminiStra-
tors in Berlin, larger of frame, perhaps,
and equally determined. who would give
a great deal to take this smaller man
and ruler Of far smaller and less
powerful country and drop him in the
Danube or remove him somehow, but
no way has yet been found.
The chancellor has received the
writer to explain through him to
America why the economically weak
and far less populous country believes
it can pit itself against the prevailing
tendencies in its powerful neighbor:
Why he is personally against national
socialism he has already made plain IN
speeches at home.
II am as much opposed to brown
Bolshevism as am to red Bolsf1eVlsm.
DR.. Dollfuss has told his fellow coun-
trymen and he has rallied them to this
principle Sixty per cent OF the Aus
trians are now ranged behind the chan
cellor in his opposition and the propor-
ton is growing.
Thus for the first time DR. Dollfuss
was able to say to this correspondent
that his fight against Hitlerite doml-
nation was not merely to be until the
movement had demonstrated either its
failure or success. but would be per-
manent. Whatever happens in Ger
many. little Austria will war against
Hitlerism and absorption Anschluss'
is the name under which the latter Is
described.
Austria will fight against becoming,
like Bavaria. a mere district of an all
pervasive Prussia, and Vienna, as long
as DR.. Dollfuss wields any influence
with his fellow countrymen, will not
become just a large town in unified
and Prussianized Germany.
Are you confident that you can hold
back Hitisrism. and for how long?" was
the first ssiestion put to the chancellor.
National Spirit Growing.
st am ABSOLUTELY convinced that can
hold out" came the confident reply.
IF I had not been 1t would not have
been wise to attempt it.
"A curious and impressive result OF
the Hitlerite propaganda here has been
to awaken a distinctive Austrian ma
tional spirit. We have seen II growing
from day to day. In the last few weeks
attendances at meetings we have held
in Vienna have doubled and tripled our
expectations. Every time the word
Austria is mentioned it now evokes
cheer.
The erection of Austria by the peace
treaties as an Independent state Is haV-
ing this ultimate but then unlooked-ior
effect: That at least go per cent OF the
Austrian people now want to remain
AuStrianS.
''It is true that my government has
to wage war on two fronts7-against the
Nazis on the right and the Socialists
on the left But We are enjoying ths
advantage, that all the middle groups
and those who wish to maintain the
existing capitalistic order have been
drawn together in what I might de-
scribe as an Austrian front.
"Are your efforts directed only TO
maintaining the existing order IN
Austria until the position in Germany IS
clearer. or do you believe your country
could become a viable independent
state?" DR.. Dollfuss was asked.
Imitation Danger Overcome.
st am not merely seeking to obtain
breathing space ne answetea 1 1iua
phatically. II believe Austria can nve
alone. I was an economist before
became a politician and / saw TINS
Let world conditions improve, let us
have markets and reasonable faclilties
for the discharge of our foreign DEBTS
and Austria can stand by herself as
Switzerland does.
"Our recent record has not been one
to be ashamed of. We have overcome
the danger of imitation. The scnllilng
is stable today-stable and at the mo
ment evincing a rising tendency. we
have balanced our budget and we have
strikingly reduced our unfaVoraoie Oai-
ance of trade" ~.
what does Austria hope from the
World Economic Conference" was the
next question. .a
we hope to be allowed to be the
exception to the operation OF the most
favored-nation clause" the chancellor
replied. 1T is probably a good tning
for large countries like the United
states, but for a small country IKE
Austria. with so many special lines OF
trade what is needed is leave to make
special preferential arrangements.
I'VE hope also for a reduction OF our
sro;n,, deht burden through a lower