Evening star., 1934-08-05
RADIO PLAYS PART
IN NAzI UPRISING
Importance Of Broadcast.
ing in Time of War
Illustrated.
BY MARTIN coDEL.

Indicating the tremendous strategic
Importance Of radio broadcasting In
time of war or revolution. was the
promptness with which the Austrian
Naxis seized Ravags main studio and
once building in Vienna, during the
recent uprising In which Chancellor
DollfuSs was assassinated.
Even as the German Nazis seized
complete control of radio as one of
their first acts upon coming into
power last year, the Austrian rebels
sought to fasten their hold upon Aus
tria's bpoadcasting system as an initial
move. Their false broadcast from the
powerful l20, ,000-watt Vienna station,
key of a network Of stations designed
TO cover Austria. was generally be-
lieved TO have been intended as sig
nal for a general uprising throughout
the country.
The affair Of the Ravag radio sta
ton, indeed. was the elimination OF a
series Of radio incidents" that have
loomed large in the delicate diplo-
matte picture that has Europe and all
the world at nerves edge. 1t was
from Germany's 100,000-watt station
at Munich, shooting its voice well
across the nearby Austrian border.
that the head Of the exiied Austrian
Nazis had for months been conduct
ing o persistently vitriolic and melting
campaign against the Dollfuss regime.
Had Taeit Consent.
That the Munich broadcasts had at
least the tacit consent Of the Hitler
government Is manifest, for Herr
Goebbels' ministry of propaganda and
enlightenment maintains absolute
control of the entire Reich broad
casting system. The Munich broad
casts against the Dollfuss government
were repeated over and over again
despite Premier Mussolini's antipathy.
The fact that Herr Habicht was re-
moved as head Of the Munich radio
station after the abortive putsch is
regarded as merely an attempt on the
part of the Germans to make amends
for q breach Of international comfy
that was also q violation Of League
Of Nations agreement. Germany was
In the League when this rule was pro-
mulgated.
Incidents like those taking place in
Germany and Austria have occurred
but seldom elsewhere. Revolution
aries have seized radio stations to
broadcast their reports in Mexico and
Cuba, but, as in the Ravag incident,
they were quickly silenced by the au-
thorities in power. Even Russia, once
accused of broadcasting so that all
Of Europe might hear Its Communist
propaganda, has In the last few years
been free from recriminations on that
score.
Probably Would Seize Stations.
In North America the nearest TO
any war" on the radio waves has
been the battle of words between exiled
American broadcasters, seeking profits
from advertising by going to Mexico
and directing their broadcasts north
ward after they had been thrown on
the wave lengths in this country.
Should war break out In which the
United States Is involved, or should
a crisis like revolution or disaster
threaten, the first move of the author
tiles here would probably be to take
over all broadcasting stations and use
them for speedy and necessary COM
munications with the populace.
When the United States entered the
World War, President Wilson pro-
claimed that all radio stations shall
be closed down except those needed
by the military. Gerniany's stations
on Long Island were forthwith seized
and converted to naval uses. All ANA
teur stations were silenced. the de-
mand for wireless men being so great
that the hams" Joined up in great
numbers. There was as yet no broad
casting of voice and music as we know
it today so the problem of broadcast
ing did not exist. An emergency,
said a high placed military oficer,
would doubtless require the continued
maintenance of the American broad
casting system, but under strictest
control by the military with view
largely to maintaining the morale Of
the populace.