863.00/903
Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Phillips)
The Italian Ambassador22 called to present the new counselor of the Embassy, Marquis Alberto Rossi Longhi, who has recently come from Vienna.
I put to the Counselor various questions about the Austrian situation concerning which he seems to be well informed; he expressed the view that Dollfuss had strengthened himself immensely and that, while the situation was not settled by any means, it would go along for some time as at present; I asked him whether there had been much of a split among the Socialists and whether many had gone over to the Austrian Nazi Party; he said that a certain number had undoubtedly joined the Nazi ranks, but they were not many in number.
The Ambassador referred to a recent press despatch by Paul Augur,23 which we had discussed during his last visit to the Department, in which Augur spoke of the very great effort which Mussolini was making to reach an understanding with France on the subject of Austria, etc. etc.; the Ambassador said he had cabled the substance of this despatch to Rome and had received a reply to the effect that the report was immensely exaggerated; that while there had been an exchange of views with France, it was not being done in the way suggested by Augur.