STOP CLASS-WAR

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1929, Page 8

STOP CLASS-WAR

CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM

DEMANDED

VIENNA, Sept. 24

Dr, Stoidle, the generalissimo of the Heim well r-, has burst the bubble of an impending civil war in Austria. He disposed of this report \vhich has been seriously damaging Austrian credit abroad, in a striking anti-Bol-shevist speech which the microphone enabled 15,000 people to hear in the Heroes’ Square of Vienna on Saturday evening.

Three thousand uniformed but unarmed Fascists were present, but the Socialists ignored the demonstration. Beyond the arrest of three jeering Com munists in the square and the dispersal of an impromptu, meeting of noisy Socialist youths in a suburb there was no disturbance. ])r Steidle said that the members o'f the lleimwehr organisation were not fighting the theories of political and ucuiomic Socialism hut while the Austrian Socialists remained on the platform. of class-war reconciliation was im possible. The destruction of this Bolshevist plague centre in Central Europe was their patriotic duty, and a task for the accomplishment of which all Europe would thank them.

Industry in Austria, he continued must lie freed from Bolshevism, and could only flourish after this advance post of Moscow had been overthrown.

The Heimwehr demanded imtnediaie changes in the Constitution of the Republic which would terminate Socialist terrorism in workshops, and would prevent the Vienna Socialists ifrom utilising the wealth derived from the taxation of all classes for their party purposes which was inevitable while the province and city had a Socialist provincial governor and burgomaster. The Republic, formed in 1919, must be transformed into a national State with authority and discipline without class-conflict and class-hatred. They wauled the real co-operation of all classes and social peace. They did not want to excite class against class, ynd they intended to try their utmost- to compromise with their opponents, who had stolen from Austria the idea of the Fatherland. Austrians must be enabled to say again. ‘‘We have a Fatherland.” In Austria they had no Socialists, but only Bolshevists. The idea of intervention was simply a fairy tale. Foreign countries weiV waiting for a new Austria which they could respect. POPULAR PRINCE. At the close of the meeting a crowd of enthusiastic men women surrounded the handsome, boyish uni-

formed figure of Prince Ernst Rudiger : Htarhemberg, and carried him shoulder ' high to his motor-car. He smilingly declined the requests for a speech. The Prince, who is 22 and is a des-, Cendant of the famous general who defended Vienna against the Turks in 168.'1, has equipped 500 Fascists at his castle at Waxendorf, Upper Austria, as a special ibattalion. He• has captured the popular imagination, though his mother and the remainder of the Starhemberg family seem somewhat distressed by his prominence.