The Washington times., 1934-02-17

BY H. r. KNICKERBOCKER
downright, 1884. by International News
Service. Reproduction in Whole or
Part FOrbidden.)
VIENNA, Feb. II 0N.SO.-An-
other Italian army corps has
moved up to within striking dis
tance of the Austrian border.
JugoSlav troops are ready to re-
taliate over the Carinthian from
tier.
The Czechoslovakian army is
held in readiness.
Ten thousand Austrian Nazis on
German soil are awaiting an
order.
Thirty thousand organized Nazis
in Austria are bidding their time.
First Rank Worry
Austria today became a first
rank international worry of the
Western world, and the question.
will war Gomez" is referred
again to this unhappy city.
Yet the weapons that threaten
the peace of Europe are not the
bayonets around the Austrian
houses, but the rifles pointed at
her border from abroad. If inter
vention comes, war is possible.
War = scared observers reason
that Chancellor Dollfuss is now
doomed. If he falls, the Nazis
will come. If the Nazis come, in
te1vention will come, and thence,
most probably. war.
Is DOllfuss Doomed
But is DollfuSs doomed? This
man has set up today what un-
critical commentators call Fas-
cist regime. If it were truly a
Fascist regime, the prognosis on
Dollfuss would be that he is going
to remain in power indefinitely
and that hence none Of the dread
full things propheSied to follow his
fall would happen.
DollfuSs, however, has no Fascist
party. His own party of Christian
Socialists is in the progress of at
least a moral dissolution. He has
the temporary use of party arms
the Heimwehr-but it is loyal
in the first place not to him, but
to it's chief, Prince Starhemberg,
and its assistant chief, Major
Emil Fey, vice chancellor. All the
youth of the country are Nazis.
So of all the principal elements
Of Fascist power. Dollfuss today
has only censorship.
Few Elements of Strength
Therefore it probably can be
argued that the Dollfuss regime
has almost none Of the elements
Of strength of Fascism, that it is
an individual dictatorship based
on a constantly narrowing popu-
lar support, that he has been
weakened by the war against the
Socialists, and that the NaziS
have been strengthened by their
removal
The powers that come into the
question of intervention are. in
the order of their interest in
Austrian independence, Czecho-
Slovakia. Italy. France, England,
Jugoslavia and Germany.
Czechoslovakia has given strong
evidence she will never intervene.
The Czech democracy was the
strongest foreign supporter of the
Austrian democracy. They were
convinced that every shot Dollfuss
fired at the Socialists here was a
shot for the Nazis.
Italy has extended its threat.
It has moved more troops toward
the Brenner. But if there is any
man in Europe today who wants
to avoid war, it is Mussolini.
France for Peace
France has shown the most
positive sign that peace at any
price is her slogan, at least for
the moment. France, everyone
agrees. will take no individual
initiative to preserve Austrian in
dependence.
Joint action could only come
with the help of England. Eng
land today is ruled by cabinet
whose prime minister is in failing
health and whose first concern
is to avoid complications on the
continent.
Jugoslavia is a member of the
little entente. and therefore is for
mally bound to oppose the acquisi-
ton of Austrian by Germany. But
1t is known from unimpeachable
sources that Jugoslavia secretly
desires Austria to go NaZi because
JugoSlavia thinks a Germany on
the Italian border would be a
healthy hindrance to italian de-
signs against JugoSlavia.
There is only left Germany. All
signs point to the probability Hit
ler believes the Austrian pigeon
will fly into his mouth all nicely
broiled and ready to eat. as the
Germans say He sees no neces,
sity to shoulder his gun and 60
hunting for game that is prepar.
ing to leap into his frying pan.