AUSTRIAN UPHEAVAL

Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1927, Page 3

AUSTRIAN UPHEAVAL

.Al USSOLINI’S 'I HR EAT. [“Sydney Sun” Cables.] (Received this day at U.JO u.m.) LONDON, July IT. A report from Innsbruck stntes that Mussolini sent 1111 ultimatum to Austria that unless Italian Liains were allowed to pass across .Austria, tile rail way staff and troops will force n passage, and according to an “Exchange” message, Italy is rushing a thousand troops to the frontier. The Austrian Legation in Berlin announces the leaders of Vienna Unions and the Socialists’ Party have secured control of the revoluti mary movement ami ordered the resignation of Doctor St'ipe) (Premier) and Schober (Chief of Police) and are pressing for the formation of a. Coalition Government. Refugees from Vienna state that in addition to the offices of Reiehspost, and other newspapers, many residences were gutted. The hospitals are crowded with wounded. Government have ordered trustworthy Tyrolese troops to Vienna in view of a. report that the workers have secured arms from the arsenal.

An eye-witness telegraphing to the newspaper “Weekly Dispatch” from Bratislava, described the frightful brutality of Red Terrorists in Vienna, when, they forced an entrance to the City Hall and police station, after the defenders’ ammunition was exhausted. They murdered two gendarmes and hanged a third to a lamp post and gouged the eyes out of the Commandant, whom they sin-lied In death with his own sword. Reinforcements arrived and cut down the hanging gendarme but he died later. The mob then attacked the ambulance in which four gendarmes lay and despite their wounds, were .subjected to further atrocities. being horribly mangled. The rioters fatally slabbed the horses of the mounted police which resulted in ■scenes like a hull light. They honied derisively the portraits of Emperors. The windows of the Ministry of ,Instice were smashed and the statue of Francis .Joseph was carried away in fragments at souvenirs.

The Socialist Mayor called a general strike after Seipcl refused to dismiss Sehober (Mayor) as Governor of Vienna province, w]u> alone has authority to call out troops to the assistance of the police, and this lie refused to do until after the strike. Now he is claiming credit for restoring order. The general impression is that the appearance of troops in the first instance would have prevented bloodshed. STRIKE REPORTED ENDED. LONDON. July 17. A message from Berlin states the general strike in Vienna has suddenly ended and trains have already resumed. A'ivid descriptions come fron Bratislava of incidents of yesterday's crucial period. It states the streets represented an extraordinary scene of troops, machine-guns, police and sightseers. A mob attacked Seipal’s motor ear. hut a body guard drove them hack using revolvers. Mohs of Socialists and Communists continually attacked the police. They raided the police station in one suburb and killed eight occupants.

AUSTRIAN REPORTS. LONDON. July 17. Though the Austrian Minister in London affirms that Vienna is quiet this morning, and troops withdrawn, Berlin advices assert numerous troops are patrolling the streets following a further disturbance yesterday in Rosenstein street where a mob attacked a police station and fatally stabbed n policeman. The police fired killing six and wounding ten. Total casualties since Friday are seventy killed, live hundred hospitalled, one hundred treated in homes and minor injuries. The City Council supplied arms to the Republicans. Sehutsihunk Socialist lenders are doing their utmost to endeavour to restore order hut the Extremists are opposing and have been joined hy Pricek, President of the German Communists from Berlin. Cabinet is continually sitting, and negotiating with the trade union leaders, who are conferring whether to continue or cull off the strike.

SOCIALISTS’ MANIFESTO

VIENNA, July 17

A Socialists' manifesto declares that enough blood has been shod as the result of provocation by a few hundred undisciplined rioters and urges workers not to allow themselves to lx? misguided by Communists or take up arms as Communists advise, where-hy they will greatly endanger the Republic. It adds: “We do not wish to'share the fate of Italo-U ungarian workers, and declares the struggle will he carried on by means worthy of workers who should refrain from all demonstrations. The manifesto points out that although there is a general strike, railwaymen, postal and telegraph officials and telephonists and other workers only strum for 21 hours as a protest.' after which they will resume. Trades Union leaders also issued a manifesto which says if the workers permit themselves to he misled by Communists who are agitating and arming, the result will inevitably be first, a civil war with further terrible loss of lilt 1 and in the second place a frightful economic catastrophe, famine and increased unemployment; thirdly, the abandonment of workers in Agrarian districts, where Socialists are weak, to the mercies of armed Fascists.

An eye witness added: Municipal shops have their windows covered with iron shutters, but hundreds are unprotected in the suburbs, and these were looted especially of food. The robbers carried bludgeons and pistols, which they used freely. The police were firing i.n any groups which failed immediately to disperse. Despatches from a Turin correspondent says Seipel is determined not to resign. An expression of opinion that if he does, Austria will be banded over to Bolshevist rebel activity, is reported from Tngoldstadt. Innsbruck. Grata, I tin/, and Bucks, and there is a genera! expectation in official circles that the outbreak will assume greater dimensions in most parts of the country.