Tuesday, 5 November 1929

Vienna:  

A group of nationalist Heimwehr (“Home Guard”) students attack a group of Jewish Socialist students at Vienna University.  Police are called in to break up the assault.  Tensions in Austria have reached such heights that British Foreign Minister Arthur Henderson is publicly warning Austrians against coup attempts.  He says Great Britain is concerned that there may be a breakdown in parliamentary discussions on Prime Minister Johann Schober’s proposed constitutional changes to reduce the autonomy of largely socialist Vienna, and that non-legislative action might follow (e.g., coup attempts).  This, Henderson says, would threaten the stability of all of Europe.  Austrian officials are reportedly indignant over the comment, calling it an interference in Austria’s internal affairs. 

Elsewhere:

Kyoto:  Japan’s delegation at the Institute of Pacific Relations conference lashes out with a diatribe on Manchuria.  Japan claims that China entered into a secret agreement with Russia in 1904 to treat Japan as their common enemy, and had Japan known it, it would have annexed Manchuria right then.  Japan says this secret agreement cost Japan 100,000 lives fighting Russia, and the equivalent of $1 billion.  The Japanese say their interest today is for a populous and prosperous Manchuria to act as a buffer with Russia.

China:  With mutinies spreading, Chiang Kai-shek’s nationalist government forces lose the towns of Yensih and Kunghsien to rebels, who now threaten the city of Hankow.