Austria.

Abstract

The Republic of Austria was proclaimed on November 12, 1918. The Government was taken in hand by a National Assembly which appointed a temporary cabinet and proceeded to pass laws. The constitution which came into force on May 1, 1934, begins with the statement:—‘In the Name of God the Almighty, from Whom all right proceeds, the Austrian people receives this Constitution for its Christian, German, Federal State on a corporative foundation.’ Austria was declared to be a Federal State (Bundesstaat), corporatively ordered, consisting of the federal (Bundesunmittelbare) City of Vienna and the eight provinces (Länder). All citizens were equal before the law: they were to be treated unequally in the laws, only so far as objective grounds afford justification. Privileges of birth, estate, and class were excluded. Women had the same rights and obligations as men, except when the law decreed otherwise. Public offices were open equally to all loyal, patriotic citizens who answered statutory requirements. General legislation was performed by the Federal Diet (Bundestag), the deciding organ, after previous deliberation of draft laws by the State Council (Staatsrat), the Federal Cultural Council (BundesKulurrat), the Federal Economic Council (Bundeswirtschaftsrat), and the Provincial Council (Länderrat), which were the advisory organs. The State Council consisted of 40 to 50 citizens of merit and character who, from their past conduct and services, might be expected to have a full understanding of the needs and duties of the State, and who were appointed for 10 years by the President with the Chancellor’s countersignature. The Cultural Council consisted of 30 to 40 representatives of the Churches and religious communities, of education, learning, and the arts, who had reached the age of 26. The Economic Council consisted of 70 to 80 representatives delegated by the professional corporations who were to be at least 26 years old and loyal patriots. The Provincial Council consisted of the eight provincial Governors and eight finance members of provincial Governments, together with the Burgomaster of Vienna and his finance member.