Evening star., 1938-04-09
REICH AND AUSTRIA
PREPARED TO VOTE
Giant Festivities Staged by
G0ebbeIS as Hitler Ends
Campaign.
BY he Associated Press.

VIII llS latest acquisition. Austria, WAS
astir today as though it were choosing
president in hotly contested cleo
ton. The nation was preparing, both
solemnly and jubilantly, for what
thousands of spellbinders have been
attempting to popularize since March
20 as the holy election"
This Saturday. as the day before the
plebiscite on Anschluss (union) OF
Austria, has been officially named "the
dav of the Greater German Reich"
Propaganda Minister Goebbels
thought Of new stunt-all citizens
were adnonished to don their festive
garb' when they returned home at
noon from shops and factories.
The festivities included giant
nationwide community sing, bonhres
at night. the ringing of church bells
and parading bands. As an example
Of the plans, orders to one big Berlin
chemical factory may be cited.
Employees were called together at
pm. Friday to listen to a talk on Sun
days plebiscite. They were told they
would be called together again shortly
before noon today. This general ap-
peal" as it was called, lasted until
noon. when on the dot loudspeakers
throughout the vast Reich resounded
with command, given from the City
Hall of Vienna. to raise flags"
At this factory, as in all other fac
tories. stores. business houses, public
buildings and millions of homes, the
swastika was then displayed
There followed a tWo-minute period
during which these chemical workers
in unison with 75.00O000 other Ger
mans heard only two sounds-the
blowing of factory whistles and the
roar of airplanes covering the Reich
as with one vast web.
The chemical workers and with them
millions from other industries. We're
then ordered to be back at the factory
by pm, today in their Sunday best.
Further instructions were that from
4 pm. on they were to stay together
in marching order, singing songs. STOP
ping at public squares to rend the air
with cheers and heils, or listening to
concerts.
All this was a mere prelude to the
climax of today-Chancellor Hitler's
final campaign speech in Vienna at 8
pm. g pm. E. S. To. The entire
nation was urged to fill the public halls
and village squares. theaters and audi
toriums to hear the broadcast.
Vienna Dressed Up for Vote.
VIENNA. April (P.-Old Vienna
put on her new party clothes today for
a brilliant and frenzied pageantry.
Pylons 100 feet high supporting
golden eagles with swastikas and oak
Wreathed German flags lined at inter-
walls the main avenue, giving it a ca
thedral air
Flagpoles even higher were erected
in many places. In one ward alone II
miles Of flag material was used.
Every store, even in the Jewish dis
tricts, displayed Adolf Hitler's pictures
surrounded by red-clad fir branches
and swastikas. Some of these dis
plays closely resembled arches before
which passersby paused to give the
Hitler salute. Every bus and street car
truck and automobile carried a red
white and black banner with a slogan
such as Thank the Fuehrer with
your Ja."
Every dwelling had placards re-
minding people to take somebody
with you to vote tomorrow"
Crowds possessed the streets at day.
break, crippling traffic. In this scene
unparalleled even in imperial DAYS
came Hitler as a conquering hero te
complete his plebiscite tour of Create,
Germany.
Der Fuehrer arrived by special train
at the West Station at II am. He re.
viewed his honor guard, then rode
through shrilly shouting crowds te
Vienna City Hall to receive the mu.
nicipality's formal welcome.
400 Vote Aboard Ship.
FORMIA, Italy. April P.-The
German battleship Admiral Schee,
today carried 400 Germans beyond
Italian territorial waters to permit
them to vote In advance of tomorrow!
plebiscite on Austro-G German union.