A defence of his prc-Anschl advocacy of a United States of E given by ex-Chancellor of Austria Frederix, French correspondent in The former Chnneellor stated that he was aware of the accusations that he had tried to impose a kind of Fascism of the 'Italian %lode! on his count'', after the death of Dolfuss, brought against him in Austria. He denied this. He had, he said, sought support from Italy after Dolfuss' death, because' in 1935 " Italy was the one and tonly country who promised us immediate armed suppoi t in the event of German aggression." If he had taken Social Democrats into his Government Mussolini's Government would have immediately withdrawn support, In February, 1934. Dolfuss " had iciuctantly . to suppress the workers' insurrection in Vienna, Jest Hitler. upder the pretext of disorders, would have intervened." He was only waiting for such a pretext. " My whole 'policy right to the end was dominated by my care never to give him one. No thinking man will deny that if the Austrian Government had acted otherwise than it had done the German invasion would have taken place much sooner—very probably in 1934."
In reply to a question regarding the claim of the Austrian Social Democrats that if they had been in power stiffer opposition to the Nazi invasion would have been made, Heir Schuschnigg pointed out that there were Socialists in the Czech Government
when hillier marched in. " Was Prague's fate less sad than Vienna's?"
As regards the future, the Austrian statesman said that unity between the main Austrian parties was indispensable. New solutions and new men were needed for the new situations. The essential condition for the life of Austria, he believed, was that the division of the country into four water-tight compartments of occupation zones must be ended' as soon as possible. This was the short term aim. Subsequently it was for the international authorities to impose on Austria's neighbours political and economic rules " to save us from being strangled." Otherwise the history of these countries between the wars would be repeated.
Either there is a United Slates of Europe or the small countries will destroy each other and drag the great ones into this destruction."
Asked if he intended to return to Austria, Schuschnigg replied that he would not do so while his presence there might cause difficulties. For the time being he will write and work, His friends in the Provisional Government, who know him, can assess correctly his deeds anti his ideas,
ass policy, of Dolfuss and the urope were stated in an interview Kurt Von Schuschnigg to Pierre Rome, this week.