AUSTRIAN SOCIALISTS’ MANIFESTO.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1482, 7 December 1915, Page 3

AUSTRIAN SOCIALISTS’ MANIFESTO.

“ THE TRUTH HAS BEEN HIDDEN.” AFTER THE WAR—REVOLUTION ! Geneva, December 5. The Austrian Socialist party has secretly distributed a manifesto in this country, stating : “The truth has been bidden in Austria. We have not had liberty in Austria, The regime has now become terrible, and since the war there has been neither a Constitution nor justice, and the executioners will have much work. The civilised world will shiver with horror when it knows what is being done in Austria. We can ouly speak of the death penalties passed on citizens whose only crime was the exchange of social ideas. Herr Lapger was hanged because he published a book asking for peace. This is how the Austrian Government acts, while pretending to fight barbarism. ThisS is why we are asking internationals to save us before we become slaves, and be compelled to be enthusiastic Czechs or Italian Slaviaus. We do not want Austria to be victorious ; we want ber defeat, Austria declared war on the pretext that she was delivering Poland ; now she wants to subject her to a Hapsfaurg dictatorship. If a real Parliament existed Austria’s shameful'ultimatum to Servia would never have been sent. We will now begin to fight for a republic. We want revolution, not war. After the war we shall Imitate the Freuch Revolution. Austria can only live by the ruin of the Hapsburgs.” The manifesto declares that the annexation of Belgian and French territory is a crime, and concludes : “Austria is suffering terribly by the war, and will be first to be ruined thereby.”