Office of the Historian

Paris Peace Conf. 184.011102/421

Mr. Albert Halstead to the Secretary of State31

No. 77
Vienna, September 7, 1919.

Subject: Austria ratifies.

Sir: I have the honor to forward herewith a translation of the formal protest32 made by the Austrian National Assembly against the terms of the Treaty of Peace. The feeling against the Treaty has been very pronounced. The Pan-Germanistic party has been especially vociferous. There was a possibility of more bitter speeches than those that were made, and the speeches were most acrimonious. [Page 566] Dr. Renner, however, urged the leaders of the various parties to be more restrained in their utterances and to rely greatly on the Reparation Commission to adjust conditions which are regarded as unbearable.

The Assembly itself was attended by practically all members. Dr. Renner made a lengthy report on the negotiations and the three presidents, Seitz, Hauser, and Dinghofer all expressed their views on the situation. Representative members from all parties participated in the debate. The vote granting authority for the signing of the Treaty was ninety-seven against twenty-three. Forty-six members refrained. The Pan-Germanistics voted against acceptance. The Treaty is, therefore, as far as Austria is concerned, settled.

The problem before the country is to reorganize an economic and financial life and to strengthen the government so as to reduce expenditures and to reduce the payment of relief to those out of work which consumes the resources and pauperises the recipients. The Volkswehr remains a danger and must be disbanded or re-organized into a really effective force which is not an instrument of the workingmen’s council.

Dr. Renner desired to have Dr. Bauer return as Foreign Minister but the cabinet would not accept this proposition. It is suggested that Dr. Bauer be made a member of the Vienna Reparation Commission where his real force will be utilized and he will be kept so occupied so as to have little time to engage in promoting radical politics.

I shall report on the Austrian situation as it develops.

I have [etc.]

Albert Halstead
  1. Copy transmitted to the Commission by Mr. Halstead under covering letter No. 428, September 7; received September 11.↩
  2. Enclosure not printed; see Nina Almond and Ralph H. Lutz, The Treaty of St. Germain (Stanford, 1935), pp. 76–79.↩