Evening star., 1946-07-07
Russians Seize
Major Austrian
Industrial Plants
Reporotions Move
Is Made Without
Consulting Allies
By the hssociofed fres3

VIENNA, July 6.-The Rus
slams announced today they had
taken ownership of a major part
OF AuStrla'S industrial capacity
and other property as German
reparationS, and the Austrian
cabinet summoned special
meeting Of parliament.
The Russians acted without in
forming their Allies. Austrian Of
flcials declared the Soviets were
claiming Is per cent of the repub-
lies industrial capacity.
The Soviet order took over S22,-
100000 worth of industry in East
ern Austria along with other Ger
man external assets" The Russians
insist property taken by the Ger
mans after anneXing Austria in
1888 Is subject to seizure as Ger
man reparations under the Potsdam
agreement-a view protested by the
United States and by Austria.
Clark Urges Care.
Gen. Mark Clark, American COM
mander in Austria, Immediately sent
a message to Col. Gen. l.. V. Kur-
rasov. Soviet commander, urging
great care in the carrying out of his
order and one to the Austrian gov
ernment declaring it was not neces-
sary to turn over property which
was not a German asset.
Chancellor Leopold Figl's cabinet
after special meeting called an
extraordinary session of Parliament
for next Wednesday,. A communique
declared Socialist and Communist
members of the government Joined
with other members in the view that
properties which were Austrian be-
fore the annexation should still be
regarded as Austrian and not as
German assets.
For months the Russians have
been taking control of properties in
Eastern Austria which they classify
as German assets. The United
States has objected that properties
taken forcibly by the Germans
should not be classified as German
owned.
Refused 10 Discuss Question.
The Russians have refused to dis
cuss the question in the Allied Coun-
Gil for Austria, but last May Is
agreed they would not seize any
more properties without informing
the council.
The Government communicate
said the cabinet did not have the
right to comply with the Soviet or
der without authorization by the
Allied Council. It said the Russian
claimed properties had decisive sig
niflcance for Austrian reconStruc-
tion and economy. and that the
PotSdam Agreement under which
the Russians acted never had been
disclosed officially to the Austrian
government.
'It is likewise known that the ex-
tent of the concept of German
property even by these Potsdam
decisions is not completely clear
The Austrian parliament as well as
the Federal Government has always
asserted that it is of vital impor-
tance to interpret this concept so
that it does not include property
which belonged to Austria before
1885, the communique said.
The Austrian government must
reject every act which seeks to solve
this question in any way other than
from legal standpoint. 1t expressed
a deep conviction that only a deci-
sion in law can guarantee a peace
full development among the ma
tons
Order Dated June 27.
The Russian order. published by
the Red Army newspaper today,
was signed by Gen. Kurrasov as
commander in chief of Soviet oc-
cupation troops in Austria" 1t was
dated June 27 and provided that
the transfer of ownership was to
be completed in 10 days-by today.
Among the properties seized are
large proportion of the chemical
industry, including Austrias entire
sulfuric acid and plastics production
most of the electrical industry, all
of the artificial silk. paper ana glass
factories. This includes all window
glass production and all railroad
signal equipment
The Russians took over the vi
emma Locomotive Works. which was
(See AUSTRIA, Page A-6)