THE AUSTRIAN MUDDLE
calls himself an “Austrian,” rather than a German, a Czech, and so on, and that in the sphere of patriotism at any rate Austria is not even a geographical expression. Clam was just sufficiently Slav to feel embarrassed at the grosser forms of anti-Slav persecution, but was at the same time German enough to contemplate constitutional changes such as would assure to the Germans a permanent parliamentary majority. Even as long ago as December he stood committed to the principle, if not to the extreme form, of the octroi,[1] and although the reactions of the Russian Revolution and the insistence of the young Emperor led him to convoke Parliament in spite of all objections from the German extremists, it was none the less natural that the Slavs should regard him as definitely in the German camp and frame their parliamentary attitude accordingly. The postponement of the Emperor’s oath to the Constitution, which was announced in the Speech from the Throne, was interpreted by the Slavs, and almost certainly intended by Clam, as still leaving the line of retreat by octroi open; while the Government programme, as defined in a speech of well-meaning but uninspired verbosity, could only be explained as a centralist manifesto, and a rejection of the federalist idea. So obvious was this that those Entente journalists who had persisted in regarding him as a Slav federalist were reduced to silence. And yet the fact that more than a fortnight before he spoke all four Slav groups in the Reichsrat had openly challenged him by their uncompromising definition of national and constitutional claims ought to have made it absolutely clear that there was no manner of doubt in Austria itself as to his political tendencies.
The outspoken attitude of the Czechs, the closeness of their understanding with the Jugoslavs and Ruthenes, the astounding revelations of political and military oppression during the three years of war and the excitement maintained by a perpetual stream of news from Stockholm, where a whole series of rival deputations aired their views—all this produced an atmosphere of uncertainty and mutual suspicion. There was a general disinclination to drive matters to extremes by challenging the Budget; and the Minister of Finance, Dr. von Spitzmüller, performed the unique exploit of passing it through Parliament while withholding every essential figure which would have betrayed the appalling facts of the financial
- ↑ The arbitrary promulgation of a constitutional change.
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