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How Flows the Danube? In Paris last week, Comrade Molotov was echoing Czar Alexander. Though he admitted Austria to the agenda as a "simple question," he still refused to discuss a full-fledged peace treaty. Russia's unwillingness to pull out was the only reason why Austria still suffered the burden of occupation. Russia's motives were obvious: 1) the continued presence of the Red Army in Austria gives the Russians a good excuse to keep troops in all countries between Austria and Russia (Poland, Czechoslovakia, Rumania, Hungary) "to maintain communication lines"; 2) the longer occupied Austria's present unemployment dissatisfaction and general stagnation continue, the bigger grow Russia's chances of absorbing Austria into the Soviet orbit.
Communist Boss Fischer puts it smugly. After all, he is fond of saying, the Danube flows east.
It would take a great deal to turn the Danube around. Mark Clark had done more than any man to help give Austria the means and the courage for independence. But he knows that what is needed most is an end to Austria's divided existence and some hope for the future for its people. Last week, at what used to be the Heurigen (new wine) season, Viennese went out to the winding streets of Grinzing and the gently sloping vineyards of Gumpoldskirchen to taste the vintage of 1946. Like hope, the year's new wine was scarce and sour.
* Conquered Germans disagree. Last week they were telling this bitter joke: a large boy and a small boy broke into a store window. The storekeeper came out, furious, and beat up the large boy, who ran away howling. The small boy stepped up to the still gesticulating storekeeper and said: "You owe me ten marks." "Why?" exploded the storekeeper. "I am an Austrian," the small boy replied.