Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-21
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
UNDER CONSIDERATION
Few Questions Raised by War More
Momentous to Germany, Aus
tria and Hungary.
Correspondence Of the Associated Press.

Correspondence Of the Associated Press.
BERLIN. August Few questions
raised by the war are more momentous
to Germany, Austria and Hungary than
the future Industrial relations among
these three nations.
For close to a century, or ever since
Prussia as an Independent state of Ger
many took the initiative. the problem
Of customs duties among them has
been moot question on 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 inde-
pendent states Of Germany, Austria
and Hungary eventually were swept
away almost forcibly, and union was
introduced that almost Immediately
produced results. The varied develop
ments Of the three nations during the
course of years, however, brought con-
slant disagreement as to what the
tariff conditions should be-disagree-
ments which it is felt in many circles
must be settled during the present war
if at all.
Hungary a Persistent Contender.
Hungary at one time or another has
been a persistent contender for hlgh
protective tariff against the invasion
of the articles which the well devel-
oped industry Of Germany has suppHed'
and in consequence of which the Hun
garian industry is still in it's infancy.
Not longer ago than late in July Hun l.
gary once moro formally protested at
a meeting of the German Austrian ECO.
nomic League against the lowering OF
| tariffs, and pleaded even for higher
customs duties than exist at present;
Not all Hungary, however, hoids tnls
view, as a very recent meeting of Hun
earians in Berlin attested. The men.
more than a score of them, comprised
the Hungarian Economic League, "nicn
with the German Austrian organization
comprises the Central European League.
determined majority of the mem pers.
comprising some of Hungarys most
prominent agricultural, industrial ana
political figures, finally went or RECORD
as in favor of taking down the tariii
bars among the three countries
One of the chief arguments prouene
forward was that Germany and Hun
gary do not manufacture the san,s
things, and that both will be oenen.eo
rather than hindered by the admission
of articles that do not compete with
home production.
Thus Hungary is producer Of agri-
cultural machinery-to supply ITS own
large needs, and can without any
harm to German industry introduce its
product in the latter empire. Germany
on the other hand makes quantities OF
other kinds of machinery and thou
sand things that are not produced IN
Hungary, which can be introduced at
a lower tariff into that country with
out competing dangerously with Hun
garian industry.
Want Earlv Adjustment.
The argument that an understanding
and agreement must be reached during
rather than after the war is advanced
by many who believe that after hos
tilities have ceased the nations will be
too busy with their renovation and up
building and too jealous of each other
industrially ever to be able to arrive
at an understanding.
Prominent Hungarians in the league,
notably Mr.. Lanczy, member of the
the opposite view. however. and insist
that the present time is inopportune,
and that efforts to bring about tariff
branch is steadfastly opposed by those
who maintain that all the three coun-
tries at the present time need every
advantage that can be derived from
lower tariffs.
Austria, because Of its half-indus-
trial. half-agrarian nature, has always
stood midway between Germany and
Hungary, with a general slight lean
ing for the former. Such Industries as
she has are in the main in good con-
dition and unlikely to be injured by a
lowering Of tariff walls that would
permit Of German industrial invasion.
The benefits in the past from the
customs union that has existed since
1884, even though through it individ-
uals went down. are sufficiently marked
to induce Austrians to favor on the
whole a still closer relation of this
sort Hungary is and always has been
poor, alphabetically, SO that she has
ranged on the side of the opposition.