Starhemberg's Attempt to Control Heimwehr Is Decisive Factor in Annexation, Says Salvemini

"Austro-German Anschluss depends now primarily upon whether the Nazi element in the Austrian Heimwehr can gain the upper hand," said Gaetano Salvemini, Lauro de Bosis Professor of Italian Literature, in an interview with the CRIMSON yesterday.

"The Soctalists in Austria are already powerless. The Nazis, who desire the annexation of Austria to Germany, are still organized and are becoming more and more aggressive. If the head of the Heimwehr, the Hapsburg Prince Starhemberg, who is against annexation, finds himself unable to control his men, then the Nazi element will gain the upper hand within the Heimwehr. And in this case, the movement towards immediate annexation of Austria by Germany will become unresisted, and official foreign intervention unavoidable.

"I say 'official' intervention because actual interference is already a fact. Mussolini has given arms to the Heimwehren; Hitler has given arms to the Nazis; and Czechoslovakia has helped the Socialists as far as possible. Austria has become a battlefield for all her neighbors. There is not yet any official intervention, but for many years there has been foreign official interference.

"The English diplomats know this, but they give the impression of not knowing anything about it. The French government has always declared itself against annexation; so did Mussolini; so did the government of Czechoslovakia.

"Mussolini wants to be friendly towards Hitler, and at the same time he wants to prevent Hitler from annexing Austria. he has helped as best he can both Hitler and Starhemberg to gain control of Germany and Austria respectively. And now he awaits the results of the victories of his proteges. He is like a cat who has given berths to two tigers."