Evening star., 1934-02-23
Blame for Austria's Plight
Laid to Versailles Treaty

With the exception of few who de-
plore the methods used to suppress
the Socialist rebellion in Austria, OBJ
servers are inclined to pass over the
relative merits Of DollfuSs and his op-
ponents in order to peer behind the
scenes for ultimate causes and effects.
1t is the rather general opinion that
the blame for Austria's condition to-
day must be laid directly at the feet
of the signatories of the Versailles
treaty, which left Austria head
without body. AS result OF the
prolonged indifference to Austria's
plight on the part of the League of
Nations and the allies, it is conceded
almost inevitable.
"Austria's troubles go back to the
treaty Of Versailles, when the Austro-
Hungarian Empire was dismembered
and Vienna was left as the capital OF
q small and impoverished country"
says the Richmond Times-Dispatch,
and the Gary Post Tribune agrees
that it Is directly "traceable to the
postwar treaties" The jamestown
IN. " Post points out that Austria
cannot thrive unless the people have
an opportunity to gain livelihood" :"
while the Columbus Evening Dispatch
concludes that "the outbreaks are the
symptoms of intolerable conditions,
economic mostly, under which people
have been forced to live to the limit
of their endurance"
The st. Louis Post-Dispatch recalls
that 1.-The Allies, in recent months,
have been helpful to Austria with
loans and other aid" but regards it
doubtful whether these have come in
time"
Primarily it is fight to the finish
to determine whether Fascism or the
Socialist majority in Vienna is to
dominate the government of Austria"
declares the Manchester Union, while
the San Jose Mercury Herald sees
Dollfuss escaping from Nazi domina-
ton "by establishing a Fascist govern
ment."s To the st. Louis Globe Demo-
crat "the general alignment of forces
is not clear, nor are the principles at
stake" and the Huntington Herald
Advertiser calls 1.-The clash between
Naziism and Fascism" merely "a battle
of terminology." The Miami Herald
also regards the differences as hay"
and the Owensboro Messenger con-
siders the Heimwehr little better
than assistant Nazis" At any rate,
believes the Richmond News Leader
"the near future in Austria belongs
to the parties of the right The
Houston Chronicle suggests that the
American Democrat probably should
hope for each enough success to
checkmate the other"
It seems to the Springfield (Mass.)
Republican that "for Austria, union
with Germany is one way out, and
the powers which oppose this union
have failed to show any workable al
tentative" and once the Austrian
Nazis are in the saddle, the Boston
Transcript looks for ''the appearance
of Hitler as virtual dictator in Austria
as well as in Germany" The Wichita
Beacon observes that, at least, Chan
cellor Hitler "contemplates the diff
culties of a neighboring state with
complacency." The Pueblo Star-Jour-
nal, the Birmingham Age-Herald and
the Lowell Courier Citizen see threat
of war in developments in Austria, but
the Indianapolis News feels that "the
situation does not suggest rivalries Of
war dimensions" and Is confident that
mo country In Europe can af-
ford war"
In any case, world politics and
economics undoubtedly will be infiu-
enced by the outcome Of the Austrian
struggle" holds the South Bend