Evening star., 1935-12-08
Wide World Photo.

That would encourage the Hohenzol-
lerns, thereby detracting from Hitler S
popularity. The Austrian Parliament,
which represents the government and
not the people, have restored Ottos
property. Many cities have pro-
claimed" him and war veterans Or
carnations have made him an honor
airy member. The success OF the
Greek monarchists also has given
Otto's supporters an excuse for nope
of his eventual restoration.
Another obstacle to Otto's recall,
however, Is the policy of Rumania
and Yugoslavia. Belgrade and Bu-
charest fear that If the Hapsburgs
return then there will be uniflcation
of Austria and Hungary. Economically
this is highly desirable. Austria Is
industrial and Hungary is agricultural.
United the two would form an eco
nomic unit. That would bring up the
question Of Austrian minorities In
Yugoslavia, particularly Croatia and
Slovenia and Hungarian minorities in
Rumania, especially Pennsylvania. The
Petite Entente Is anti-revisionlst and
has Frances backing on this score.
Since Hitler has stated that NaA Ger
many has no territorial demands in
Czechoslovakia, the Little Entente
would prefer to see Austria united
with Germany than with Hungary.
Yugoslavia, a blood enemy Of Italy
in the Adriatic, also would not stand
for any unifcation that would bring
Austria and Hungary closer to Rome.
The restoration question, however, Is
not an immediate one, although po-
litical developments may bring 1t to
a head unexpectedly.
An Alarming Factor.
The apparent inability Of the Aus
trian government to stamp out oppo-
sition is a most alarming factor in the
situation. Prince Won Starhemberg s
regime is in absolute control in
Vienna, but in the provinces the
Nazis still hold their concentrations"
and the Socialist "Shutzbund" con-
ducts practice mobilizations at regular
intervals. A clandestine Socialist
press floods the country, although it
is illegal to be caught reading the
Arbeiter zeitung, which is published
by refugees in Brno, Czechoslovakia.
NaH handbills are distributed nightly
in Vienna and Brownshirts wear their
insignia openly. They have been dis
playing the Ethiopian colors as a chal-
lenge to the pro-Italian Fascists.
viennese police spend half their time
tearing down Nad posters, which ap-
pear all over the capital. wildcat
radio stations emit messages" night
ly. The opposition, as whole, is
merely irritating, and it Is doubtful
if it could be united so as become for
midable.
The Austrian peasant is an inde-
terminable factor. He has always
been conservative and consequently
royalist. The agrarian leader, Joseph
Reiter, was relieved Of his post as
minister of agriculture when Won
Starhemberg ousted Maj. Fey. He
has threatened to call q farm strike
when the proper moment arrives, and
unquestionably could weaken the
FascistS materially by appealing to
the provincial Heimwehr, which Is
largely recruited among the peasants.
Having, until recently been the
catspaw of European powers, with
France, Italy and Germany intermit-
family y,ilIinr the strings Austria be-
cause of the pre-occupation of Euro
pean chancellories, is now being left
to her own devices. She has an OPP
portunity to set her house in order
but the chances are that things will
be messed up more than they now are
before the Winter is over. Economic
as well as political forces are in fer
ment and anything from Hapsburg
monarchy to q Nazi-Socialist regime
may come out of the cauldron that Is
brewing.