Monday, Nov. 11, 1946

Gentlemen, Please Depart

The name Austria first appeared (as Osterrich) in a state document, signed by the Emperor Otto III, on Nov. 1, 996. In the grandiose neoclassic Parliament building on the Ringstrasse last week, Chancellor Leopold Figl glumly celebrated Austria's 950th birthday with a speech pleading for Austria's place on the planet: "The Austrian nation . . . appeals to the whole world to enable this state to remain a center of democratic peace and freedom in Europe!"

Figl's speech was sandwiched between two secret sessions of Parliament--the first since 1918's dark days. Parliament decided that Austria, squeezed in the quadripartite grip of the Big Four and teetering on the verge of chaos, would seek a quick treaty and a quick end to occupation. Also: 1) removal of trade barriers; 2) restoration of Austrian gold as a currency cover; 3) return of war prisoners; 4) recognition of property owned by Austria in 1938 as still Austrian-owned; 5) membership in the U.N.

It is no secret that the western Allies are more willing to get out than the Russians are. The Russians are finding all occupations uncomfortable, but they want to stay in Austria to squeeze what they can out of the remains of the Austrian economy. Yet no Soviet voice was raised against last week's Parliament action, in which the Communist deputies concurred. Asked about this, a Viennese wiseacre snapped: "The Russians don't give a damn what the Austrian Parliament does--and still less what the Austrian Communists do!"

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