Austria Acts to Suppress Race Bias

Two steps to suppress anti-Semitic activities of the Nazis in Austria were taken today by the Austrian government.

The authorities prohibited the holding of a meeting called by Dr. Jerzabeck, leader of the Austrian Anti-Semitic Union. They also suppressed today the “Aryan” Press Club for not complying with legal requirements.

The press in Vienna points out an ironic development arising from Germany’s pressure upon Austrian film producers to eliminate their Jewish actors and directors or suffer the penalty of having their films barred in the Reich.

DIRECTORS “ORGANIZED”

As a result of this “Aryanization” of the Austrian film industry, many studios are featuring their Jewish film directors under “Aryan” names.

This has been the fate of Walter Reisch, a Jewish scenario writer and director engaged by the Paramount in America but permitted to remain in Austria in order to direct his new film, “Episode,” which he also wrote.

Although everyone knows that Reisch is the director of the film, yet for the sake of Nazi susceptibilities, a “pure Aryan” named Willy Zeyn, previously known as a film cutter, is given as the director.

Herr Reisch expects to proceed to Hollywood to take up his work with Paramount as soon as he completes work on “Episode.”