Ext 6116/46(S) 'Secret Weekly Political Intelligence Summaries, nos 356-416, August 1946-November 1947' [‎74v] (148/978)

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tuberculosis in the British zone. Indeed
the Control Commission, after careful
investigation, states that “the present
pulmonary tuberculosis situation is better
than it was before the end of the war.”
The death-roll per 100,000 of the popula
tion, for example, was 59-4 in the first
six months of this year compared to 79-4
for the whole of Germany in 1942. There
is a very large increase in the number of
cases notified, but this cannot be compared
with pre-surrender figures because of a
change in the method of notification.
AUSTRIA
During the past fortnight discussions by
the Austrian Treaty Commission on the
unagreed articles of the Austrian Treaty
have revealed no appreciable willingness
on the part of the Soviet representative to
deviate from the standpoint taken up by
his Government at the Moscow Conference.
He still insists that the future Austrian
armed forces be equipped only with
arms of national manufacture. General
Cherriere has not failed to point out the
illogicality of insisting on demilitarisation
and at the same time encouraging the
building up of the Austrian armaments
industry; it was the view of the U.K.
and U.S. Delegates that the Soviet pro
posal constituted a violation of Austrian
sovereignty and would jeopardise the
country’s safety in difficult times. (French
proposals for restrictions on Austrian
industry with a view to limiting the
country’s military capacity have been sup
ported by the Soviet Delegate.) The
Russians maintain their support for Yugo
slavia’s territorial claims, at the same
time obstinately persisting in the view that
no part of Article 2 (Preservation of
Austria’s Independence) is necessary.
Thus there may be “ difficult times ” ahead
for Austria in the probable interim period
between the conclusion of the Treaty and
Austria’s admission to membership of the
United Nations. The U.K. Delegate has
maintained that, while a considerable part
of Article 2 is redundant, the provision
which it contains for a guarantee against
a threat from any quarter other than
Germany justifies its inclusion.
Another fundamental divergence of
opinion emerged from the discussion on the
Article concerning Refugees and Dis
placed Persons. In addition to showing
an evident inability to negotiate
M. Koktomov made it clear that his Dele
gation persisted in excluding Refugees (as
opposed to Displaced Persons) from the
Article, and made the striking admission
that his Government did not subscribe to
the UN General Assembly’s Resolution
on Refugees and Displaced Persons. He
even went so far as to suggest that ‘ £ those
persons who harbour hostile motives and
do not wish to avail themselves of the heiT'
of their Governments and do not wish to
return should be refused all help by
Austria or any Allied country.’’ (The
application by Austria of this Resolution
to the refugees and displaced persons
within her territory was proposed at the
Moscow Conference by the U.K. Delegate
and accepted by the U.S. and French repre
sentatives.)
Allied jurisdiction over Austrians con
tinues to come in for plenty of criticism.
A U.S. military court recently tried and
convicted the Communist ring-leaders
of a food demonstration at Ischl which
developed anti-Semitic tendencies. In a
Memorandum to General Keyes, the
Federal Chancellor has described the
court’s judgment as being contrary to the
Austrian people’s sense of justice and
liable to cause unrest; and he has again
requested the cancellation of the Ordi
nance requiring permission for the holding
of public demonstrations, on the ground
that this is irreconcilable with the Control
Agreement. All three Austrian political
parties have protested against the trial
and the People’s Party Executive has
unfavourably compared the penalties
inflicted (maximum fifteen years) with
Nuremberg sentences on war criminals.
Protest strikes have taken place in some
Vienna factories. The defence’s argument
was that they were merely demonstrating
for a milk ration for their children and
protesting against Displaced Persons
being able to buy milk and butter on the
black market. Discontent against the con
tinued presence of a large body of Dis
placed Persons (who, of course, include
many Jews) has been growing steadily in
Austria.
Both the Federal Chancellor and the
Foreign Minister have reaffirmed Austria’s
intention of steering a middle course in
Europe, and Dr. Gruber, speaking at
Bregenz on the 28th September, plainly
denounced the efforts of “ some people ’ ’ to
squeeze Austria into a political combina
tion of forces which would cut her off from
the West. The Soviet Union’s wide inter
pretation of her claim to German assets in
Austria was also the subject of forthright
comment, and Dr. Gruber emphasised that
Austria was not interested in a Treaty
containing such “incredible demands’’ as