Draft of a law providing for restrictions on residence of aliens in Austria was passed by unanimous vote today on its second reading in the State Council, central advisory body to the Government on legislation, and was accepted by the Federal Economic Council.
(Under the 1934 Austrian Constitution, the Government alone has legislative initiative. Four consultative chambers — the State Council, the Federal Economic Council, the Federal Council of Intellect and the Council of Provinces — report on bills to the Federal Diet. The Diet, comprising delegates from the four chambers, can accept or reject bills.)
The measure would set up a system of residential permits for aliens in certain categories who entered Austria after a certain date — Jan. 1, 1933, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency understood. It is thought that only about a thousand Jews are affected by the bill, although strict control of aliens is bound to cause difficulties for other Jews.
A report to the Economic Council revealed that there are 290,000 foreigners in Austria, including between thirty and forty thousand Jews. Dr. sprain , rapporteur on the bill, charged that Eastern European immigrants harmed the country politically and economically. He obliquely attacked the Jews, referring to “economic headquarters,” which, he said, despoiled the country during the inflationary period. The reference aroused indignation in Jewish circles.
In offering the bill before the State Council, Dr. Kneussel pointed out that “until now an insufficient instrument existed to check the influx of undesirable aliens into Austria.”
The measure would require foreigners employed or engaged in business and aliens supported by persons or organizations not legally compelled to support them, among others, to apply for residence permits. The mayor of Vienna and provincial executives would be vested with the right to grant or revoke permits. Persons violating the law would be liable to deportation and be forbidden to return to Austria for three years.
A new and violently anti-Semitic newspaper, the Volksruf, making its first appearance last night, stressed the necessity for aliens legislation, asserting that it was impossible for Jews to be loyal “both to Eretz Israel (Palestine) and Austria.” The paper is published by Karl Peker, leader of the Antisemiten Bund (Anti-Semitic Union).
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
