Evening star., 1934-07-27
Austria and European Peace.

Strife-torn Austria, bleeding at
many pores. remains a danger spot OF
immeasurable possibilities, both ma
tionaI and international. following the
Nazis' assassination OF Chancellor
Dollfuss and the failure Of their
"putsch" to seize power at Vienna, but
the peace Of Europe seems far less
menaced, as the result Of those events,
than IL did twenty-four hours ago Civil
war. fomented by Austrian Nazis, is
raging in the southern provinces, with
casualties already mounting into the
hundreds, yet, with the accession OF
Prince Won Starhemberg, vigorous
young leader Of the Fascist Heimwehr,
to the chancellorship, the federal gov
ernment appears TO have the situa-
ton fairly we'll in hand and the
necessity for intervention by foreign
powers Is at the moment not acute.
Premier Mussolini has modified
48 900 Italian troops and a formidable
air force on the Austrian border, OBJ
viously determined. should occasion
arise, to move in force for the preser-
yatiOn Of Austrian independence II
It is threatened either by domestic
Nazis or by their German comrades
in arms. In addition to these mill
tary precautions, italy is seeking to
organize a united diplomatic front
with Great Britain, France and the
little entente against any German In
reference with Austria's integrity.
The Nazi government at Berlin on
its part is emitting no opportunity TO
absolve itself from responsibility for
the Austrian crisis. 1t has not only
issued an official proclamation of its in
nocent, but has taken several concrete
steps to indicate its disassociation with
the Viennese developments. The
most striking of these moves is the
dispatch of Vice Chancellor Won Pa
pen to Austria as Germany's special
envoy. Col. Won Papens anti-Nazi
reputation, Hitler plainly intends, is
% serve as q public guarantee that
Germany is not intriguing at Vienna
for Nazi purposes. The fact that Won
Papen is a prominent Catholic Is also
OF significance. Austria being over
whelmingiy Of that faith. OF hardly
less Importance is Hitler's deposition
Of Theodor Hobicht as inspector gen.
eral for Austria" Hobicht is the no.
torious German radio agitator, whose
hroadcasts from Munich during the
past year were mainly responsible for
stirring up Nazi frenzieS against Doll
fuss in Austria. Yet another move
designed to convince Europe OF Ger
many'S disinterestedness is the call
ing of. reputedly on Hitler's personal
orders, OF a plan for the Austrian
NaA legionnaires, who have been en-
camped on Bavarian soil, to invade
Austria.
Germany can now be in no doubt
Of EIrope's determination to prevent
German-Austrian uni@n or Nazifica-
tion Of Austria In any form. Efforts
to accomplish either Of those purposes
Would almost certainly be forcibly re-
sisted by the western powers. AS long
as Berlin remains conscious Of such
consequences Hitler is likely to re-
frain from action automatically de-
signed to plunge the continent into
armed conflict. While domestic tran
quillity within Austria is cordially
desired by all of that unhappy little
country's well-wishers. the worlds
paramount interest is that Austria S
political viciSSitudes shall not become
the cause of international war. It is
essentially within the power Of Ger
many to avert that disaster. Happily,
it looks as if Hitler is already cowed
into q realization that the Nazis
would risk such a venture at their
deadly peril. The world is in no
mood to have It's peace broken for the
greater glory of the swastika and all
the hideous things it stands for.