863.20/80: Telegram
The Minister in Austria (Stockton) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 31—2:30 p.m.]
40. Department’s 27, August 29. The Chancellor informed me today that the story published in the press that the western powers had consented to an increase in the Austrian Army by compulsory recruiting of a militia was incorrect. He stated that at the Disarmament Conference15 Austria had sought permission to establish a mixed army composed of long term paid volunteers and short term conscripts but no decision was reached due to the recess of the Conference and that the Austrian Government has since negotiated with Great Britain, France, Italy, and the Little Entente, as the most interested signatories of the Treaty of Saint Germain for permission to recruit an auxiliary army corps by voluntary enlistment of 6 months duration within the limits of the 30,000 men imposed by the peace treaty. He added that the above-mentioned powers regarded the present critical situation as an emergency which justified increasing Austria’s armed forces to preserve its independence. He continued that the modification of the treaty desired by Austria was so slight all the powers consulted had already informally approved; that formal consent had been received from France and Italy and was expected in the near future from the other signatories consulted; system would become effective as soon as such consent was received. The Chancellor also informed me that the speech of the Austrian Minister of War which was delivered in Kilb, a little town in Lower Austria of about 1000 population had been incorrectly quoted although he admitted that Vaugoin had spoken extemporaneously and perhaps a little loosely. Horn-bostel16 in confidence referred to the address as a “somewhat demagogic utterance for local consumption”. It was not taken seriously here until Vienna began to feel its repercussions from abroad.
In conclusion the Chancellor said he was not contemplating approaching the other parties to the Treaty of Saint Germain as he did not regard the concession granted by the most interested powers as a derogation of the treaty.
At my request our Military Attaché informally queried General Viktorin, senior military officer at the Ministry of War in the absence of the Minister and the chief of the army, who corroborated the Chancellor’s statement concerning the remarks attributed to Vaugoin. The General did not know whether the Little Entente had been consulted [Page 442] but felt that as soon as the consent of Great Britain, France and Italy had been obtained Austria would inaugurate the new system and probably commence recruiting in September but that enlistments could hardly be made before November 1st.
The British Legation confirmed that the British Government was fully cognizant of the proposed plan and had given its consent.