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That Il Duce has financed the Heimwehr, now claiming 125,000 men, and supplied it with weapons no Austrian doubts. This force has proved an effective bulwark against Austrian Nazis and Austrian Socialists, both well-armed and militant. Since post-War treaties limit the Austrian army to a comic 30,000, the Heimwehr provided Vice Chancellor Prince von Starhemberg last week with might sufficient to deal crushing blows at Nazi revolts which at news of Chancellor Dollfuss' assassination flared in many parts of Austria.
The most savage outbreaks were in "King Anton's" Styria. He had left his post as Austrian Ambassador in Rome without authority and in Vienna he blushed and stammered brokenly when Dr. Schuschnigg demanded: "Why did you do this? What is your explanation?"
Apparently there could be no explanation. Grimly the Austrian police arrested "King Anton" and in his cell they left a pistol. Someone fired it and "King Anton" crumpled up. Screamed Frau Rintelen in her home: "My husband was not a suicide ! They killed him !"
Actually "King Anton" was not dead. In speechless condition he was rushed to a hospital where doctors said he might recover. Unable to utter a word, he scrawled on a paper, "I am innocent."
500,000 for Dollfuss, If most Austrians really want a union of their country with Germany, as both German Nazis and Austrian Nazis passionately insist they do, then it was strange that Engelbert Dollfuss—a Chancellor whose whole policy was the incarnate symbol of independent Austria—should have received this week a funeral which as a vast, spectacular outpouring of popular grief, will rank with that of NIKOLAI LENIN.
Ceaselessly for a whole day mourners of every class walked four abreast through Vienna City Hall past a towering catafalque on which tiny Engelbert Dollfuss lay in death with candles at his head and sides. Relays of nuns prayed ceaselessly for his unshriven soul. In all Austria there are only 6,500,000 people and it was estimated that 500,000 of them went to the funeral of their Chancellor.
Both President Miklas and Prince von Starhemberg seemed all but overcome as they joined in pronouncing the State's farewell to Dollfuss, made it a ringing reaffirmation of his policies. Cried the handsome, blond-mustached President: "We will complete his task and strive for a peaceful Austria and a peaceful world. May this his last wish be fulfilled!"
Prince von Starhemberg twice tried to speak, twice gave way to his emotions. Beside him stood Frau Dollfuss and the plain, bent peasant woman who bore Engelbert Dollfuss and remains a peasant still, living in the cottage where he was born. "God has given, God has taken away," she kept mechanically repeating. When Prince von Starhemberg was able to speak at last he apostrophized the dead Chancellor with the intimate pronoun.
"What thou wert and still art will not die!" cried the Prince who carried on as Chancellor. "It will remain as long as there is any Austria. In the name of all Austrian comrades I swear eternal loyalty to thine ideals and swear to the last drop of my blood that we will fight for an independent and a free Austria!"