1939-03-10 — Page 2

Fago

IT WAS ONE YEAR AGO TO-DAY

THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 10, 1989

When Austria

Vienna, Mar. 10, 1988. GREY, foggy morning dawned, not very cool one of those days in March when winter has al ready spent his strenght, but spring is not yet strong enough to take his place. A day which all those who witnessed it will not forget for the rest of their lives.

A casual observer, who went for a stroll through the streets of Vienna in the early hours of March 10th, 1988, certainly would have noticed that something unusual had happened was about to happen: Hundreds of thousands of leafleta scattered in the streets and carried all over the town by a strong wind, bearing the announcement made public the night before by the Federal Chancellor von Schusch- nigg in Innsbruck, that a popular referendum was to be held on Suff day, March 18th-ominous date for an Independent, German, Chris-

tian and Social Austria.

Died

bers, and vocal-power, by the gov-|dents were suddenly withdrawn and ernment supporters, recruited from a quarter of an hour later the Nazio people of all walks of life,

were back in full strength. In or

Few police were to be seen, but der to prevent clashes, the police it was evident that they were under now drew a cordon exactly in the orders from the Minister of the In-middle of the Kaerntner Street, terior, Seyss-Inquart, not to inter-leaving half of the road-bed and fere with the Nazi demonstrations, one pavement to each of the op- for they made no arrests and usual-posing parties. Certainly the clear ly only intervened when Nazis wore in danger of being beaton up.

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fore the law.

Y noon, the Opera-Crossing and This plain hint was understood the adjacent part of the by both sides. Whereas the govern- Kaerntuer-Strasse were blocked by ment supporters their numbers a solid crowd of at least 5,000 peo- | had considerably shrunk, for most ple, being constantly kept in move-of the respectable citizens had gone Groups of municipal workmen ment by the police, who gave an home for lunch-were completely were busy painting government increasing impression of nervous-bewildered, the rejoicing of the Blogans on the pavements, on shop-ness and lack of co-operation. Nazis knew no limits. windows and housewalls; flags ap-Police-officers questioned, openly peared in the windows, and large streamers with political catchwords were being fixed to lampposts and avenue trees.

Small groups of the Patriotic Youth-Movement were marching through the streets, giving cheers for the Chancellor, who was to re- turn from Innsbruck by the 8 a.m. express.

Not the slightest opposition was to be felt, most of the people in the streets giving the government- salute and joining in the cheers for Schuschnigg, when the singing youths passed by. Generally the opinion expressed was, "that the success of the vote was a foregone conclusion.

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DETWEEN 8,000 and 10,000 peo-

Bple filled the square in front

of the station, when the train with the Chancellor arrived. Apparently a conference took place in the sta- tion-building immediately upon the arrival, for nearly 20 minutes elapsed before Chancellor Schusch- nigg stepped into the car waiting outside. Looking very serious and very pale, he scarcely glanced at the crowd and his attitude con- trasted strangely with the delirious enthusiasm of the masses who hail-` ed the "saviour of Austria.” At a quick pace the car proceeded down the Mariahilfer Street, across the Ring, passed the Houses of Parlia- ment and the Burg Theatre straight into the Federal Chancellery on the Ballhaug Square,

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Wherever the Chancellor passed the people gave him a tremendous ovation.

It was the last time the Viennese saw Curt von Schuschnigg."

the next few hours.

admitted that the orders they had received from various sides in the last few hours were widely contra- dictory. But still the Viennese spirit, cheerful even at such oc- casions, prevented serious out breaks, although the tension made itself increasingly felt.

Up to this time only youths of both sexes between 15 and 20 had

Von Schuschnigg, photographed with Mussolini, on whose aid he banked, in vain, "to prevent the. auchsluss,

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HERR HITLER

down

By A Refugee Now. In Hong Kong

flag, which had been torn from a shop window, led the last est possible indication of the fact charge. He and the men who fol- that the police regarded the gov-lowed him, scarcely a hundred ernment supporters and the party strong all in all, recovered nearly advocating the overthrown of the the whole of the Kaorntner Strasse legal power as virtually equal be against overwhelming odds. But near the church of the Capucines they were met by the police, A short struggle and the flag was seized. This was the end and from now on the Nazis ruled the streets. It was at 3.45 p.m. on March the 10th, 1938. Moments like this one should be remembered, because they repeat themselves only once in a thousand In the meantimo shopowners be-years. In this moment the federal gan to barricade their windows. | state of Austria died, the spiritual Women who constituted an equally strong percentage of the demon- strators on both sides, withdrew from the front-ranks, the noise of the shouts and vituperations hurled across the street increased, if pos- sible, in strength. The first stones were thrown and the noise of heir of the old Austrian empire, smashed windows could be heard which in it's turn was the continua from all sides.

tion of the Holy Roman Empire, Then deep silence for a few sec-founded by Charlemagne in 800 onds as though in a church ... Then A.D. And the unknown men who the inevitable: With one sudden took part in the last charge under push the National-Socialists broke an Austrian flag, have their place through the ranks of the police who assured in history, together with scarcely offered resistance, and Wallenstein, Eugen of Savoy, Lau- clashed head on with the nearest don, Archduke Charles, Radetzky and group of patriots. A short free-for-all those millions and millions of all battle ensued, firsts, batons, unknown soldiers, who through the attache-cases (a most formidable ages fought for Austria. weapon when filled with books or Not on March the 11th, when stones). umbrellas, leather-belts etc. Schuschnigg surrendered, and not being freely used and soon superior on March the 18th, when Hitler de numbers made themselves felt. Theclared the Anschluss, did Austria Patriots were slowly pressed back really die. to St. Stephen's Square, when they rallied for a last stand.

This secular event took place on March 10th, 1938, at 3.45.p.m., not far from the Church of the Capu- cines, in whose tombs ten Roman- German and two Austrian emperors

An old gentleman, in bowler-hat and furcoat, apparently an former Imperial Army officer, rushing-for- ward and brandishing an Austrian lie buried.

MEXICAN OIL NEGOTIATIONS

MEXICO CITY, TO-DAY.

MR. DONALD RICHBERG,

BRITAIN IN A PRE-FASCIST ERA

Sir

London, To-day.

Stafford Cripps, who was

been sent into action by the Nazis, but now older men in black top- boots (Indicating their membership of the Black Guards) and other wearing white peasant stockings REPRESENTING THE FOR- (the "uniform" of the Storm EIGN OIL COMPANIES IN recently expelled from the Labour Troops) made their appearance. NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE Party for pressing a campaign for united front of anti-Government. But shortly afterwards the balance MEXICAN GOVERNMENT, was once more decidedly turned in HAS ISSUED A FURTHER

Liverpool Nothing particular happened for favour of the government support STATEMENT AFTER HIS SE forces, at a meeting in/

the political COND CONFERENCE WITH last night, criticised t PRESIDENT CARDENAS, apathy of the public.

The danger to English de- WHICH LASTED TWO HOURS.

Mr. Richberg said that several mocracy, declared Sir Stafford, different methods of arriving at a came less from abroad than from solution of the expropriated oilfields within. dispute were discussed.

ers, for hundreds of Catholic and Heimwehr students suddenly emorg- ed from sidestreets and in one single rush drove the Nazis across the Ring into the streete of the 4 District. For the first and last time in this remarkable day even the police wont in action on the side of the Patriots.

Apparently the National-Socialist party had not yet recovered from the surpriso caused by the complete ly unexpected move of the Chan- cellor and waited for further or ders from Berlin. But towards 11 o'clock a.m. small groups of Nazi demonstrators began to make their first appearance on the Ringstrasse, About 2 o'clock p.m. the whole of mostly consisting of youths in their the 1. District and the Ring was teene. They shouted Nazi slogans: cleared of Nazi demonstrators, leav- Ein Rejch, ein Volk, ein Fuehror ing the Patriots in full control of (one empire, one people, ono leader) the situation. Heil Hitler and so on, but were hopelessly outclassed, both in num-

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But not for löng. For reasons unknown, the st

Political disinterestedness and He would again meet President a feeling that it was impossible |Cardenas at 8 o'clock this evening to make the present Chamberlain after meeting, Senor Nalera, Mexi- travesty of democratic govern- |Can Ambassador in Washington, in ment resign had already led to

the morning..

pre-Fascist conditions.

con:

Yesterday's discussion, was tinued in the same amicable spirit, and "I feel that further progress was made,"-Reuter,

Unless the government in Bri- tain is changed soon, he believed, English democracy would be near doom. Trans-Ocean,