The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-29
Austrian Treaty
By T S

MISUNDERSTANDING to Moscow Of
an Austrian delegation headed by Foreign
Minister Karl Gruber casts another ray of
hope on U. S. Secretary of State George C..
Marshall's ambition to clean up the Austrian
situation at the Foreign Minister'S Council.
The popular notion that a treaty of peace
with Austria is to be written at Moscow isn't
quite right. The United States never consld-
cred it was at war with Austria. When Secre-
tary of State Cordell Hull went to Moscow in
1943, he won agreement from the Russians
to consider the Nazi invasion Of Austria an
act of force. The aim of the war insofar as
it concerned Austria was therefore to loerate
the Austrian people and restore their indie
pendence. 1t is this guarantee of Austrian
freedom that is being put in treaty form at
Moscow.
Secretary of State James F. Byrnes tried
to- get the four powers to start work on THIS
treaty in Paris last June. Russia refused. In
New York last December, however, Molotov
agreed to the appointment of deputies to be-
gin drafting. In January Gen. Mark clark Tor
the U. S., Viscount Hood for Britain, Maurice
Couve de Murville for France, and Feodor T.
Gussev for the U.S.S.R., went to work on the
treaty in London. They worked six weeks with
little success. They reported to the Big Four
Council on March 10 and were set to work
again.
They agree that Austria should be indie
pendent with a democratic government elect
ed by secret ballot. They agree on a decla-
ration of human rights for the Austrlans-ln
general, the same guarantees written IN
Italian, Hungarian, and other treaties.
Where they disagree is on many contro-
,ors;,1 iec,1o. pecu1ior tn Austria. arising out
of it's seven-year Nazi occupation. These prob
come principally from different interpre-
tations of the Potsdam declarations on denazl-
~fication, the handling Of displaced persons.
the disposition of former German assets as
reparations. All these problems have arisen
since the United States, Britain, France, and
Soviet Russia took up the occupation OF Aus
tria at the end Of the war.
The French western zone Of Austria had
scenery and electric power. The British south
ern zone had mines and D. P.'s. The U. S.
northern zone was fairly well balanced IN
industry and agriculture. But the rich Russian
eastern zone had the breadbaSket, the Oil,
and the big industries. The Russians wanted
to stay. Everybody else wanted to 60 home
and leave Austria to the Austrlans.
Under the Potsdam agreement, German
owned external assets were to be divided as
reparations. The three western powers re-
nOUnceQ ll6lr snare. IL lldO LCNSl OSSll w
templated that land was to be included, but
Russia seized over 60 big estates. They also
took 100 plants, including the only locomotive
works. the only anthracite mlre, and most
of the food and oil. Much of the oil mad
been developed by American and British
companies.
The Austrians themselves claimed rightly
that these wholesale appropriations would rum
their country. To check this the Austrian gov
eminent moved to nationalize its industry, but
the Russians wouldn't let the decree be en-
forced in their zone.
A provisional Austrian government had
been set up by Russia in April, l94o. 1t was
recognized by the other three powers IN sep
TENDER, and it conducted national elections
two months later. Much to the Russians sur
prise the Communists won only four seats in
the National Assembly. Socialists won Il
seats, and the Peoples Party, middle-class
conservative, won IS. With Dr.. Carl Renner
as president and DR.. Leopold Fig as chancel-
lor. this government was recognized by the
Big Four in January, 1916.
1t has done a good job. Though it started
with printing-press money, it has held down
initiation. 1t hopes for a share Of the $lOO
million gold pot stolen by Germany. 1t has
asked the U. S. Export-Import Bank for a re-
construction loan Of from Is to so million
dollars. It will be one Of the main bene-
ficiaries if the $3.50 million u. S. relief pro-
gram is approved by Congress-.
This Austrian republic is the government
with which the Big Four is making treaty.
Ninety days after the treaty is approved the
four armies of occupation are supposed to
move out.
NTIOT TINNC