AUSTRIAN UPHEAVAL

Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1927, Page 2

AUSTRIAN UPHEAVAL

LAW COURTS ABLAZE.

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.)

LONDON, July 16.

The latest news about Vienna states the streets are now barricaded around the burning Law Courts. A general strike has been in progress since noon. ( losed hanks, shuttcicd shops and the wrecking of unprotected windows are symptoms of the worst disturbance since the revolution. When the Socialist -Mayor of Vienna tried to calm the mobs, lie was greeted with stone-throwing and shouts ot “Traitors!” “Kill the Fascists!” “ Fp the Revolution! " The mob bad gathered with the intention of marching to Parliament, hut they spent their frenzy at the Law Courts and tho City tt..ii

Mohs rushed the police station, tore up the carpets, threw out the constables’ beds, and stripped several constables of their uniforms which were hung on lamp posts ns a taunt to the Justice of the Law Courts.

FEAR OF CIVIL WAR. LONDON, July 10

In Vienna the casualties are now estimated at forty killed and two hundred wounded.

The statue of the Emperor Francis Joseph was thrown from the Court House and smashed to pieces; the pieces were gathered up by the crowd as souvenirs.

The City Nationalists are now well armed. They have threatened intervention in the event of the authorities failing to restore order. The citizens, fearing an outbreak ot civil warfare, are barricading themselves inside the homes.

MOBS FIRED ON. LONDON, July 15

Telegraphic and wireless communication between London and \ ionua has ceased. Advices received via Berlin, stale that street lighting continues, the police firing on the mobs repeatedly. ,

Fires have occurred in many parts of the city and the rioters have been preventing the fire brigades lrom lighting the outbreaks. The Law Courts are still burning. The mob {ore down the portraits of the former Emperors and hung thorn on the lamp posts.

The absence ot reliable information is causing wild rumours to the effect that the authorities have prohibited open-air meetings, and have appealed to the citizens to behave in ail orderly manner and not to permit the criminal’ elements to distil) the peace of the republic. The latest report states forty are dead and two hundred are wounded. The gendarmes have established their headquarters in the Parliamentary Buildings, whence they are sweeping the square with volleys to prevent the attackers gatherings. All the shops have the shutters up. The factories art* closed, and traffic in the streets has ceased.

REBELS ERECT BARRICADES. LONDON. July 1G

Fifty policemen are among those wounded lit Vienna. A censorship is operating. The news is now coining via Berlin.

The fighting is reported to he assuming a revolutionary character. The Law Courts are now gutted. The rioters have cut the gas pipes. They also fired the police station, and have seized the tram cars for the transport of men and materials for the construction of barricades.

T he police were served out with rifles. They opened fire ill the evening. The rioters replied with revolvers from their barricades.

There appears to be a clash between Premier. Seipel and the Socialist Burgomaster, Doctor Seiz. The latter is stubbornly opposing the employment of the milita v y. The Government is now summoning troops from the districts outside the Burgomaster’s jurisdiction. VIENNA, July 16. Only the intervention of Red- Cross workers saved a high court official from being lynched in Vienna. The rioters seized tram ears, automobiles and lorries to construct their barricades so as to restrict the movements of the mounted police.

Rnilwuymen, on the outskirts of the city, intercepted and disarmed the Government’s reinforcements. They stated that the Government had been deposed and that the Premier. Monsignor Seipel, was a prisoner. The Social Democratic Party’s Executive formed a sort of alternative Government ,and issued a series of proclamations, including one for a general strike. They then sii'enced Vienna's broadcasting stations, and cut the telephones to Berlin, Italy, and Switzerland. PARIS, July 16. A British United Press message states: Telegraph and telephone communication with Vienna was cut off last night. The latest reports state that a mob of three hundred thousand control the centre of the city, and are frantically erecting barricades by the light of the burning Law Courts.

COMMUNIST REGIME FEARED. LONDON, July 1(1. The “ Daily News ” correspondent says he regards the Austrian Government’s midnight claim that it had gained the ascendency with reserve. lie points out that the gravest view Is taken of the situation at Rome and at Paris, where it is feared that the establishment of a Communist regime in Vienna would result in serious cnnipi'ications in Germany and in Italy. LONDON, July 17. Berne reports state that the Austrian railwavmen struck this morning. Paris reports the Vienna do luxe express was stopped at Buclis. BERLIN, July 10. The latest report from Vienna states: The police this evening succeeded in driving the rioters to the suburbs. A battalion of infantry, with machine guns, took the position outside Parliament House. LONDON, July 17. The Austrian Minister in London has received an official telegram from Vienna this morning stating that order has been restored. The message mentions that private property has not suffered, and that there is no danger. The police now have got the situation completely in hand, and all precautions have been taken to prevent further disturbances.

-STRIKES AND RIOTS. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, July 17. Vienna is still cut off from the world in the throes of a general strike, the following details of which are given in a despatch from Rressburg, where the “ Sunday Express ” Vienna correspondent motored yesterday. He says the city on Friday night was lighted up by flames from the Palace of Justice and other buildings. Though there was only desultory firing in the city struggles in

the suburbs continued to a late hour. Ambulances and taxi cabs are still carrying off dead and wounded. The streets were strewn till late Saturday morning with dead police horses. Fourteen bodies, including two women, lay outside Parliament Buildings. Debris littered the streets and the walls of the police headquarters were.

splashed with blood and marked by bullets. Terrible execution was caused by armed police among the crowd in which members of tho underworld, bent on plunder and arson, mingled with respectable citizens. Seipel summoned the Socialist leaders Seitz and Bauer. They demanded the resignation of the Government and Chief of Police. This was refused and a general strike began. Only food trains arc allowed. A Socialist news-sheet declares the workers must not he allowed to ho short down like hares. Proclamations urge the populace to remain quiet and avoid the centre of the city. All attempting to penetrate are turned hack. Everything is closed except the food shops. There are no public services, except water and lighting. The Palace of Justice is burned out ami is now a mass of smoking ruins.

A British United Press message says renewed outbreaks occurred in the outlying districts of Vienna on Saturday afternoon. Crowds attacked the police who were compelled to fire, killing a woman and wounding several. Seipel proposes to establish a directory consisting of a Cabinet of three Socialists and Chief of Police Schober.

The most sanguinary fighting on Fr:dav night occurred in front of,. the Italian Legation. A mob demonstrated against Mussolini and repeatedly attempted to storm the Legation, but were repulsed by the police, who fired. It is reported from Oldenburg tlifltV armed parties tried to reach the house of Tscalirmann, one of the Fascists, whose acquittal on a charge of shooting precipitated the riots. The wildest reports are from Budapest, Prague and Paris .but in several quarters it is stated an Englishman was shot, who did not know German, and misunderstood a police order. Another report states the Communist, Fiala. was arrested on a charge of opening fire against the jKiliee. which prompted the police firing. It is reported that the Socialists have abandoned their demand for the resignation of the Government, but continue to press for Schober’s dismissal. Ihe Government firmly refuses, regarding him as the saviour of the situation. Socialists give the casualties as tliirtv (lead and several hundred wounded. Communists affirm there are sixty’ dead and 1,000 wounded. Police headquarters report 81 constables were wounded.