(4 of 6)
"My Conscience." Four feet eleven inches high is Engelbert Dollfuss, and he weighs less than 125 lb. His nickname, "Millimetternich," is an affectionate reference to physical smallness combined with political sagacity. His clothes are neat, impeccably brushed but of slightly archaic cut that smacks of the wheat fields and the Bauernbund. His most noticeable characteristics are his smile, which is constant, and the strength of his fingers. Like most Austrians he is a politely limp handshaker, but to hearty knuckle-grinders he can return a grip of steel. In the Dollfuss character, nothing is so important as his ardent, almost fanatical Catholicism. Each morning, before going to the same big sunny office in the Chancellery that Prince Metternich used, he prays for half an hour. Just before church comes his exercise, on his knees too. With his brown-haired German wife Elwine looking on, he plays horsie for half an hour with their two chubby and attractive children: Eva, 5, and Rudolf (better known as Rudi), 2. But Chancellor Dollfuss' Catholicism is studded with Calvinistic phrases. He is devoid of personal ambition, believes himself directly inspired by God. Correspondents figure that when explaining his policies he uses the phrase "according to my conscience" at least once every ten minutes. Dollfuss, incidentally, like equally devout President Alcala Zamora of Spain, is one of the few statesmen who never prepare a speech, rarely use notes, never stutter at a loss for words. His speeches, like Calvinist sermons, are "directly inspired" too.
Policies. Engelbert Dollfuss took office determined that Austria's independence shall be preserved. Because Adolf Hitler is determined to end that independence, Dollfuss fights Naziism tooth & nail. Foreign Hitler haters who bury Chancellor Dollfuss with verbal roses are apt to forget that this does not mean that he disapproves of all aspects of Naziism. Firmly as any brownshirt he believes that the Jewish-Socialist Government that ran Vienna for 14 years nearly ruined city and state. He has small use for parliaments. On the other hand as a Christian he has consistently opposed feeding Austrian Nazis their own medicine, such as terrorist raids and barbed wire concentration camps for political prisoners. There will be no open anti-Semitism from any Government of which Engelbert Dollfuss is Chancellor. More subtly, his Minister of Defense, elderly General Karl Vaugoin last week issued a general order. A crucifix must be hung in every room of every military barracks, a picture of the Virgin Mary must be embroidered, painted or printed on all regimental flags, all battalion and company guidons.