AUSTRIA: Tugger Out

Ever since Austrian Nazis seized Vienna’s ‘ Ballhaus and killed Chancellor Engelbert Dullfuss last year, towering, small-mouthed Prince Ernst Rudiger von Starhemberg has blamed the murder of his little friend morally on hollow-eyed Major Emil (“Bloodhound”) Fey, who was caught by the Nazis with Dullfuss but did nothing to save him. Last week these two potent men tugged two ways at Austria, under the distracted Chancellorship of disheartened Kurt Schuschnigg.

One day Major Fey’s private army, the Vienna Heimwehr, paraded in honor of Minister of Interior & Public Security Fey. Next day, with Prince von Starhemberg at his elbow, Chancellor Schuschnigg told Minister Fey. as he had often told him before, that all Austria’s private armies must be consolidated as a militia. As usual, Major Fey refused. Thereupon, the Chancellor handed President Miklas the Cabinet’s resignations. Called right back to form a new Cabinet, Herr Schuschnigg had his list ready. It omitted Major Fey & friends. When Fey saw loyal Starhemberg Heimwehr regiments filling Vienna streets, he knew Starhemberg had won.