Vice-Chaneellor Emil Fey, who also holds the post of Minister of Public Security, was entrusted today by Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss with extraordinary powers to act against foes of the Dollfuss regime, particularly Austrian followers of Hitler.
By the terms of Chancellor Dollfuss’ proclamation, in which he stated that “the government’s patience is ended,” Mayor Fey is given almost dictatorial powers which include authority to jail police, government officials and others believed to be working against the Dollfuss government.
Major Fey, World War hero, Heimwehr leader and most ardent foe of the Nazis in Austria, is known as the “strong-arm man” of the Doll fuss regime. Although a Fascist, he is bitterly opposed to the Nazi brand of Fascism and has fought its growth in Austria.
Although the government declined official comment on the speech Chancellor Hitler of Germany delivered yesterday before the Reichstag in which he asserted that Germany would respect Austria’s independence, the action of Chancellor Dollfuss today in giving Major Fey extraordinary powers to combat Nazi activities here was considered as evidence that the government placed little faith in Hitler’s declarations. Little doubt was felt her that Austrian Hitlerites, aided and abetted by their colleagues in Germany, would continue to intensify their storm of terrorism acts which are rocking this country and shaking the Dollfuss regime.
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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.
