Evening star., 1934-02-16
RUMORS, THREATS
AND GUNFIRE MAR
PEACE IN AUSTRIA
Socialists Order Sabotage
and Guerrilla Warfare
as Battles Cease.
SNIPERS TAKE REFUGE
IN SEWERS OF VIENNA
Airplanes Bombard Shell-TOrn
Suburb With Dollfuss Plea
for Support

ny the Associated Press
VIENNA. February 16.-EXcept 1cr
t,nors of attempted assassinatlons'
threats of sabotage and occasional
Funhre, peace had returned to Austria
TODAY after four days of civil war.
The stubborn battles between So
cialist and government forces, which
had taken from 1000 to $500 lives
was ended. but unverihed rumors were
rampant.
One of them told of a wholesale
assassination plot directed agalIlSl
Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss, Ponce
Chancellor Emil Fey and Second vice
chancellor Prince Ernst Won Starhem-
berg.
Socialist headquarters issued orders
calling for a campaign of sabotage
against utilities and public services
and for guerrilla warfare.
Escape Into Sewers.
The secret passages into the roomy
sewers which honeycOmb the ground
under Vienna were ways of escape for
defeated garrisons of the municipal
apartment blocks shelled by govern
ment artillery Tuesday wednesday
and Thursday.
Last night Socialist rifiemen
emerged from manholes in the Stadt
Park district.
They ducked down again into their
hiding place. after sniping at Helm
wehr soldiers. and there was no evl-
dence of casualties.
Authorities were unable to say how
many Socialist fighters might be
lurking in the underground sewerage
system which tunnels Vienna.
Install Communicate tions.
As precautions against further con-
certed socialist actions, the Helm
wehr occupied municipal fire depart
nent headquarters and installed its
own staff to control the communica-
tions system.
The Heimwehr move was impera-
tive. it was explained, because its
leaders believed Socialists had been
using the fire department telephone
lines for their own communications
Elsewhere in Austria, matters ap-
peared quieter than in the capital.
At Linz it was announced the
superintendent of schools in Upper
Austria had ordered schools opened
tomorrow. He said pupils could at
tend funerals whenever necessary.
About 5000 prisoners are held by
authorities in Vienna.
While Socialists held themselves
ready for new action from their sub
terranean retreat, the government
turned from its artillery tactics Of the
last 10 days and bombarded Vienna
with paper
squadron of airplanes circled over
the city scattering hundreds of
thousands of handbills urging the
workers to come to Chancellor Engle-
bert Dollfuss who alone could be
their savior in a world menaced by
Nazis.
Better Times Predicted.
Into the streets of the Shell-tOrn
Floridsdorf suburban section the Doll
fuss barrage of handbills fiuttered
down from the skies with a message
of peace and a prediction of better
things TO come for the workers.
What have you been fighting for?'
the handbills asked.
I'm a moment of greatest danger,
your conscienceless leaders shamelessly
left you in the lurch and betrayed
you.
Where are your leaders, Otto
Bauer and Julius Deutsche?
They have fled to foreign coun-
tries-taking with them money they
stole, so now they can live in glorious
debauchery.
What Marxist leader, what red
political power, risked his life with
you on the barricadeS or died a
hero's death?
Abandon this blood-drenched class
war and join the true brotherhood
of the Austrian Heimwehr Fascist
home guard. Cooperate in building
up new Austria"
Call for Parliament.
The Christian Socialist party, fol-
lowing Prince Won Starhemberg S
charge that leaders of this party were
responsible for the disorders, called
Continued on Page S, Column s.