Evening star., 1942-11-24
Stimson Surprises
State Department by
Backing for Otto
Approval Of Austrian
Battalion Prompts Hull
To Chill Hopes
BY BLAIR BOLLES.

Secretary of War Stimson caught
the State Department by surprise
and ran counter to the Department.
policy, 1t was reported today, when
he gave lift to the political ambi-
tions of Archduke Otto of Hapsburg,
the Austro- Hungarian pretender, by
authorizing the creation of an Aus
trian battalion in the American
Army under Otto's aegis.
Secretary of State Hull said at his
press conference yesterday that
Archduke Otto had status no diff
ferent from that of any other refu-
gee in the United States.
At time when Allied war sue
cesses a-e heating the question of
how Europe is to be reconstructed,
Mr.. Stimson's action has caused con-
Germ and bewllderment among many
diplomats here. They wonder if
the United States plans to dictate a
reordering of Central Europe and
impose the Hapsburg prince on these
countries which regarded the World
War as a success because the war
freed them from Hapsburg domi-
nation.
Plan Dropped Last Spring.
The question of an Austrian bat
talon was brought up last spring,
at about the same time the question
of an italian battalion was consid-
cred. Both proposals were dropped,
although the creation of NorWe-
gian battalion was authorized be-
cause Norway is our ally and we
recognize a Norwegian government
the exile regime in London.
The belated military decision in
favor of an Austrian battalion was
made without conference with the
State Department, it said authori-
tatively.
The State Department policy is
to deal currently with exile govern
ments and to entrust the future
shaping of Europe s countries in the
main to the decisions of the people
living in those countries. For this
reason exiles like Otto of Hapsburg
have been given no diplomatic en-
Couragement, although they have
been always received politely by
American officials.
Definite Issue.
Ottos political project is the crea-
ton of Danubian Federation.
Justly or unjustly, other Central Eu-
ropean representative fear that this
means new Austro- Hungarian En-
pire, which could exist only if post
war Europe had no Czechoslovakia
and if pieces of Poland, Yugoslavia
and Rumania were given up.
For Central Europeans, Otto is a
definite issue. Austrian refugees
who were members of the Social
Democrat party at home before
AnSchluSS maintain an opposition
propaganda against Otto over here.
President Roosevelt's action on
October %, Czechoslovakian indie,
pendence day, in addressing a mes
sage of greeting to the President
of Czechoslovakia (Eduard Benes)
served to allay Czech apprehensions
about whether Otto of Hapsburg had
official American support. Until
then, DR. Benes was considered the
President only of the provisional
government of Czechoslovakia. The
change was made purposely.
During the last month, the State
Department and the Office of Stra-
tegic Services have been actively
dlscouraging exiles whom the agen-
cles previously had given reason for
thinking they enjoyed Official favor.
Thor Eckhardt of Hungary. who
was backed by Otto, and Milan Hod-
"a of Czechoslovakia, who favors
Slovakian autonomy, have been
given to understand that the official
strength they once had in Washing
ton has been taken away from them.
Two EXilcs May Hope.
Two eXiles who might get official
backing here are Count Carlo
Sforza, leader of the Free Italian