El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-01-01
GERMANS MAKE
PLANS F0RFAR
IN THE FUTURE
Leaders Realize Nation Will
Be Isolated in World of
Enemies.
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY
UNION is PROBLEM

II ERLIN. Germany, JAN THE new
year finds the great leaders OF
- the German empire looking
ahead far beyond the var with charac-
teristic German foresight and thor
The conduct OF the war, be its final
result victory or defeat is left entirely
in the bands of the military authorities,
but even in the midst Of the clash
Of arms when the fate OF the country
hangs in the balance, far-seeing states
men are busy laying the foundations
of the Germany that IS to emerge from
VIII Be Isolated
Victorious or defeated, Germany
after the war viii stand isolated IN
a world OF enemies with nothing to
resourcefulness. It was in anticipation
Of the situation which will arise after
the war that the commercial-pohtieal
conference met IN Vienna at the be-
ginning of last month for the pur-
pose Of taking the first step towards
a closer economic alliance between
Germany and Austria-Hungary.
That the German and Austrian
necessity of the closest possible CO
operation between the two great Ger
manic powers will succeed in realizing
their plans is doubtful however, Tor
no one here ignores the fact that the
feelings OF the people OF the dual
monarchy have not grown 1rlenoller
towards Germany during the war; and
that the men who work for a perma-
nent close union viii have many and
serious difficulties to overcome. most
Of which are due to the overbearing
and high-handed actions OF the Ger
man military authorities IN Austria
The first steps towards consohda-
ton Of the two empires It Is expected
viii take the form Of a customs union.
which has so often before proved an
excellent means Of creating harmony,
not only economically but also polit-
icaIly.
Through a customs union the dual
monarchy. which in 1855 was driven
ont OF the German bund. Is to be led
back into the field once more.
1t is admitted that there are dif-
ficulties TO overcome, and that
custom union. just because II Is meant
to be the thin edge OF the wedge. viii
meet with very strong opposition IN
Austria
Powerful national and economical
forces will fight against it An the
on-German natioualities in the het-
erogeneous empire OF the Hapsburgs.
loyal enough 10 the common cause
will arise against an agreement which
they fear. is bound TO result finally in
the absolute supremacy OF the German
race within the country
On the ather side, to have al the
German districts OF Austria-Huhg gary
enter into the custom union, leaving
the other outside, IS hardly practl-
cable.
To this is added the fear OF the AUS
TRAN industrfals and manufacturers for
their more energetic German rivals
Not without reason do the former fear
that in a fight with the latter they
would stand no chance II no longer
protected by tariff
Similar conditions exist in that part
of Poland which has been captured
from Russia Undoubtedly there Is
in many OF the larger, German speak
ing Polish cities a purely abstract
feeling OF sympathy toward Germany,
but at the same time the manufac-
turers who harbOr this feeling viii
strongly prefer to restore and preserve
the connection with Russia. while an
alliance with Germany would utterly
ruin them
At the present time neither Austria
nor Germany is inclined to give the
slightest consideration to the inter
ssts Of the Polish manufactures Ger
nan efforts viii be focused altogether
On bringing about lasting and
real alliance between this country and
Austria the basis Of the fact which
All Germans look upon as indisputaole.
that Germany, during the war saved
the Austrian empire from annihlarion
At the hands OF Russia By such an
alliance they see the possibility or
an entirely new era in the history OF
central Europe