scandal. Before these events, the so ialists could count on an increase >
in votes and seats, ‘this seems now rather dubious. the socialists |
furthermore have the difficulty of being unable or unwilling to renew |
their leading groupsé he faces are the same as they were in 1955 ana
the people are beginning to get tired of thems All this is leasing up |
to a campaign, in which the socialists are far from the hopes they |
expressed a few months agoe There are in fect some socialist leaders |
who privately fear thet their sarty might be even Losing SeitSe 4
un the other hand, there is a rebirth of confid: nce in the
People's karty. The Party is going to change rather widely its |
personnel, and will introduce a number of young and dynamic persons, who |
so far had not ben in politics. vVounting with popular trends, the |
People's Party will also present on its lists some prominent figures
of tie Austrian monarchists. This move might be rather effective, since
it will assure the People's Party of votes, which normally would have |
gone to the right-wing opposition Party, the VdUe. Added to this is
the prestige of the new men at the helm of the Party, such as Party
President Rakb, the Party's new General Secretary Maletta and the Party's
two new Cabinet members Finance Minister Kamitz and Trade Minister
Boeck-Greissaue “hese people who represent a clear-cut conservative
programe and whose personal integrity is absolutely certain, are
finding an ever-increasing response in the population. While it is as
yet too early to make any abs lute predictions, it aevertheless Seems
reasonable to say that since the late summer, the People's Party has
bem regaining much ground and is facing the elections now with much
more confidence than they could have at the beginning of the yeare
The right-wi g opposition Party VdU, on the other hand, is
ina crisis. While it is yet too early to predict whether this ferisis
will eventually have far-reaching electoral results, it is nevertheless |
worth noting.e The very able leader of the Party, UreHerbert Kraus,
fell a victim to the Nazi elements in his groupe After an ugly campaign
against him, in which Nazis and communists seem@a to work hand in hand, |
he was replaeed at the head of the Party and of its Parliamentary
groupe ‘he leadership in Parlisment fell to Ingeniecur Hartleb, a
shrewd old politician from Steiermark. kartleb, though never a member
of the Nazi Party, has always for purely political considerations,
played into the hands of the wazi elementse As to the presid ney of
the Party, it was handed to one Colonel Stendebach, a Gertian who was
naturalized an Aust&ran only twenty ycars agoe This Col.Stendebach
made a very poor record during the ware Known for his brutality and
the app&@&ing losses of his unitse in fact, he was demoted once during