Evening star., 1937-03-21
HITLER STANDING In WAY
OF OTTO'S RESTORATION
Fuehrer Feels Hapsburg Monarch
Might Thwart Plan to Make Austria
Tool for Germany.

in diSSolving many political organiza-
tons which were handicapping Aus
tria's economic and political revival.
On the 10th Of February this year the
Austrian chancellor could boast that
there was only one army, one police
force and one organized militia in the
whole country. The Nazis, deprived OF
the official support of Berlin, are los
ing strength They maintain their
party in the form of kulturvereine
Cultural sssociations). The official aim
of these organizations is to combat
MarXlsm and communism. They en-
deayor, in this manner, to attract
members from the patriotic front
which is supporting the chancellors in
favor of the restoration of the Haps-
burg dynasty.
There is no doubt that the pre-
tender to the Austrian throne is popu-
lar with the masses His opponents
argue that only the Austrian nobility.
which wishes to see once more the
former splendor of the court in Vienna.
desires Otto's return. At the end of
1885 no less than 1,456 communities
throughout Austria had proclaimed
the youthful prince an honorary cit
izen.
This was taken by Schuschnieg to
be the equivalent Of a plebiscite and
on that basis he decided early this
month to recall the legitimate ruler
OF Austria to Vienna. On February
IA Schuschnigg threw his gauntlet
at the Little Entente, which had been
of1lcfally opposing any change in the
form of government of Austria. He
stated: The question of the form
of government in this country depends
exclusively on the will of the people
within the frame of the constitution
and the government reserves its right
to ask the people of this country to
decide alone on this matter"
Entente Did Not React.
The Little Entente did not react
because they had a feeling that the
question of the restoration of the
Hapsburgs was not so immediate as
the chancellor thought
True enough, few days later Herr
Won Neurath, the German foreign
secretary, came to Vienna, officially to
return the visit the Austrian secretary
of state, Schmidt, had made last
November in Berlin. Neurath dis
cuSSed the HapSburgS with the Aus
trian cabinet and advised against anv
premature move. From Rome came
the sad news to Schuschnigg that
MuSSolini, who a few weeks earlier
seemed willing to give his blessing to
Ottos return, was sharing the opinion
O. the German secretary of state. The
telephone wires between Rome and
Berlin had been busy during the "a
hours preceding Neurath's visit Otto.
who was anXiously awaiting the green
light at Buchs, sadly packed his bags
and returned to Belgium.
But this does not mean that his
exile will necessarily be protracted.
Schuschnlgg will go to Rome in the
course of the month. The question of
maintaining Austria as German
bufter-state on the borders of the
Reich will be taken up again. Schus-
chnlggs theory is that if Italy wants
TO maintain a semblance Of influence
NAAt %1itoDf'ii NniiCJ, AuSlI Id lIIuSJ
have king who would not condescend
to become Hitler's subject
Mussolini realizes this. But he does
not want to precipitate row with his
present ally. He believes that the
time may come when the Germans
themselves will welcome the reinstate-
ment of Otto in the Vienna Hoffburg.
This move might be handy in the
event that the two dictators wish to
fiout France and the Little Entente
1t might even provide a nice Incl
dent for provoking a conflict with
CzeChoSlavakia
That is why Otto left Buchs four
weeks ago with the hope that he NAV
soon hear the ringing of bells and the
booming Of guns heraldine his en-
trance to Vienna as the legitimate
ruler OF that small country which was
once mighty empire.
(Copyright, 1879