Interview with Austrian Chancellor Raab
FISCHER, ALFRED J.
Exclusive Interview With Austrian Chancellor Julius Raab By Alfred Joachim Fischer Vienna Julius Raab, the Austrian Chancellor, was a founder of the Austrian Trades Association and cofounder of...
...In January 1938, he was Minister of Trade and Communications in the last Schuschnigg cabinet...
...In an era of air travel, countries can no longer surround themselves with Chinese Walls...
...A Berlin breakdown would naturally disappoint us deeply, but it would not surprise or psychologically depress us...
...A—I am convinced that, even after the treaty has been signed, we will maintain our independent and neutral status...
...Q—Do present political developments indicate that there is no longer a Communist or right-wing danger in Austria, and that your country is on the road to a democratic two-party system...
...I think we have to continue on the chosen path...
...The same applies to prices and wage scales...
...A—New export-promoting measures—stabilization of our currency, a new foreign-trade law—succeeded in invigorating our trade with the dollar states...
...A—We Austrians have been disappointed by 260 meetings...
...My hope that this time things will come to a head is based on the fact that, of all the items on the Berlin agenda, the Austrian problem is the easiest one to solve...
...His parliamentary activities date back to 1927...
...Q—What will you do if the conference breaks down...
...It is clear that it has a different effect on each of the various professions—for some it is advantageous, for others it is not...
...If so, on what do you base your hopes...
...We do not expect, therefore, that radical parties will make headway...
...With the start of warmer weather, this figure will decrease substantially, since a great deal of public and private construction is planned...
...Luckily, both sides have worked for good, neighborly relations and these efforts have been crowned with success...
...A—Apart from the diligence of her own people, Austria credits American aid with the reconstruction of her economy...
...I don't expect any difficulties in this area in the near future...
...Small states, fortunately, are welcome trade partners but unattractive military allies...
...Q—Will Austria be able to maintain her neutrality after a treaty has been ratified...
...Under no circumstances does Austria wish to adopt a strict customs policy...
...Q—What are your views on the question of German property...
...If that doesn't happen, I think it will have to be settled by negotiation...
...Would trade with the latter increase if the [Soviet-administered] USIA monopolies were abolished...
...Q—Is Austria faced with a serious unemployment problem...
...Have they improved since then...
...We also are the only European state which considerably lowered income taxes this year...
...Is there a similar feeling in Vienna...
...The wider the economic framework in which goods are exchanged, the better it is for all...
...A—There is no question of weakening the Government...
...In doing this, we gave special consideration to larger families...
...They are given partly as loans to private individuals, so as to further initiative in the building trade...
...What is more, we could not have accelerated production as we did...
...Further delay would only make the whole situation more complicated...
...After the Liberation, Raab was President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce...
...A—We hope the four foreign ministers will come to a decision regarding the treaty...
...We want to take certain measures in the field of customs policy, since our customs duties have hardly been raised since prewar days...
...It is difficult to prophesy whether or not they will eventually agree, but we have been waiting long enough...
...A—We have seasonal unemployment in Austria during the winter months...
...In the long run, it will benefit all and also make up for the small disadvantages some groups will have to bear in the beginning...
...Exclusive Interview With Austrian Chancellor Julius Raab By Alfred Joachim Fischer Vienna Julius Raab, the Austrian Chancellor, was a founder of the Austrian Trades Association and cofounder of the People's party...
...Has this weakened or strengthened the Government...
...Q—How does Austria feel about American aid, which has now stopped...
...Q—A deep psychological depression is expected in Berlin if the conference has no practical results...
...Undoubtedly, our trade with the Eastern bloc would increase considerably if the USIA enterprises were integrated into the Austrian economy...
...A higher living standard for big families is our foremost aim, and we hope to achieve this in the near future...
...Q—Have the Austrian currency and price policies been stabilized...
...At the last election, the two major parties combined received 86 per cent of the votes cast...
...A—Aside from this, we fervently hope the conference will mark the beginning of a new epoch, an era in which nations again trust each other so that mankind can live in peace and tranquility...
...Q—What has Austria done to promote trade with the dollar area and the Eastern bloc...
...During the winter, these workers amount to half of the total number of unemployed...
...Alfred Joachim Fischer's reports appear in leading European papers...
...Q—Besides the treaty, does the Austrian Government want anything else from the Berlin Conference...
...The current budget provides larger sums for housing than any previous budget...
...In March 1953, he succeeded Leopold Figl as Chancellor of the People's party-Socialist coalition government...
...A—As far as housing is concerned, we have planned ahead...
...This is mainly due to the fact that the building trade has double the number of workers it had before the war...
...The text of my recent exclusive interview with Chancellor Raab follows: Q—After the long delay in concluding an Austrian Peace Treaty, do you expect a solution from the Berlin Conference...
...Only 20 per cent of the electorate fluctuates...
...Q—Strict coalition discipline for members of the Government parties has been relaxed since you came into office...
...Moreover, we have a credit of $100 million at the European Payments Union...
...Due to these measures, Austrian trade accounts were balanced in 1953 for the first time since the founding of the Republic...
...More than ten years ago, freedom and sovereignty was promised to us in the Moscow Declaration...
...By respecting each other's independence and ways of life, we have developed the right attitude toward each other...
...I would like to say that speeches in our National Assembly are again on a very high level...
...As I mentioned before, we have an active trade and payments balance...
...A—It is not necessary to go into the reason for the ill-feeling that dominated our relations after the war...
...Following the Anschluss, he made his construction company a haven for victims of Nazi persecution...
...Q—What new measures will your government propose to improve housing and raise the country's standard of living...
...Q—What effects do you anticipate from the liberalization measures for Austria's industry and agriculture, and what internal obstacles still have to be overcome...
...Q—Relations between your country and Germany were strained after the Liberation...
...A—This question can best be solved if Berlin brings us a final treaty...
...A—Austrian currency is stabilized...
...A—In that case, we would press for further relief from the Occupation regime...
...A—The two principal parties, the People's party and the Socialists, have during the past 35 years received about 80 per cent of all votes, with an average of 40 per cent each...
...Without this aid, it would have been impossible to overcome the devastation of the war in such a short time...
...A—Naturally, certain groups are opposed to the liberalization...
Vol. 37 • February 1954 • No. 7
