The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-08-19
Few Questions Raised By the War Are More Mo mentous to Germany, Aus tria and Hungary

Berlin, Aug. 19.-EeW questions raised by the war are more fno1nen- tous to Germany, Austria and Hun gary than the future industrial rela- tions among these three nations.
 For close to a century, or ever since Prussia as an independent state. of Germany took the initiative, the prob lem of customs duties among them has been a moot question which all. have seldom agreed and on which they do not agree today.
 The original and varying objections to a proposed customs association" or agreement among the original in dependent states of Germany, Aust trta and Hungary eventually were swept away almost forcibly. and a union was introduced that almost inn mediately produced results. The var fed developm eEnsSs of the three nations during the course of years, however, brought constant disagr ent as to what the tariff conditions should be, disagHements which it is felt in many circles must be settled during the present war if at all.
 Hungary at one time or another has been a persistent contender for a high protective tariff against the in vasion of the articles which the we'll developed industry of Germany has supplied, and in consequence of which the Hungarian industry is still in it's infancy. Not longer ago than late in June, Hungary once more formally protested, at a meeting of the Ger n1an-Austrian Economic League, against the lowering of tariffs. and pleaded even for higher customs du- ties<than exist at the present.
 Not all Hungary. however, holds this view, as a very recent meeting of Hungarians in Berlin attested. The men, more than score of them, com prised the Hungarian Economic Lea que, which with the German-Austrian organization comprises the Central European League. In spite of opposi- ton that was at times determined, majority of the members, comprising some of Hungaty.s most prominent agricultural, industrial and political figures, finally went on record as in favor of taking down the tariff bars among the three countries.
 One of the chief arguments brought forward was that Germany and Hun gary do not manufacture the same things, and that both will be bene- fitted rather than hindered by the ad- mission of articles that do not com pete with home production.
 Thus Hungary is producer of az ricultural machinery, to supply its own large needs, and can without any harm fo German industry introduce it's product in the lattre empire. Ger many on the other hand makes quanA titles of other kinds of machs1ery and thousand things that are not pro- duced in Hungary, which can be i'm troduced at a lower tariff into that country without comp citing danger ously with Hungarian industry.
 The argument that an understand ing and agreement must be reached during rather than after the war is advanced by many. who believe that after hostIhties have ceased the na- tions will be too busy with their re- novatfon and upbuilding and too jeaI- ous of each other industrially ever to be able to arrive at. an understand ing.
 Prominent @Hungarians in the Lea que, notably MT. Lanoz, Member of the Hungarian House of Magnates, hold the opposite view however, and insist that the present, time is inop- portune, and that efforts to bring about a tariff Arefrom now are pre- mature This branch is lsteadfastly opposed by those who maintain that all the three countries at the present time need every advantage that can