The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-06-12
German Vice Chancellor.
Says Economic Alliance
Will Be Impregnable
GIVES OUTLINES
OF THE NEW SCHEME
Russia, Turkey and the Balkans to Be
Brought Under the gKaiser's Sway
Germany and Austria Hungary Prac-
tically One Nation.

II
AMSTERDAM. June 12.-Permanent |
economic and military union between
Germany and Austria Hungary, "with
the gradual disappearance of customs
duties and frontiers" is proposed by
Friedrich Won Payer, imperial vice
chancellor of Germany, in a statement
published in the Neue FFreie Presse of
Vienna and quoted in the Vossische
'Zeitung of Berlin. Included in this
scheme of Mitteleuropa under DONNA
ton of the central powers are Russia,
Poland, Bulgaria and Turkey.
The vice chancellor points out that
with this union once effected the peacei
of Europe would be in the hands of the
Teutonic allies, the settlement of vexing
problems arising from the war would
| be made easier and the solution of in
ternal questions also would be facili-.
/ tated
| In his statement the vice chancellor
said in part:
8 The present form of the alliance is
inadequate. In view of the fact that
vital questions are concerned the dura
tion of the alliance must not depend
continually on the feelings at the mo-
ment. Successive treaties of short du-
ration lapse. The union must be so in
innate that the idea of separation prac-
tically would be out of the question,
and the center of gravity of the ALI
ance must be laid in an economic
union.
After explaining why such union
offered bright prospects Herr Won Pay
er said that all these advantages would
be increased if Poland and the north
ern border states were joined econom-
icallv with the central empires. They
would be enhanced enormously if in a
loose form Russia and Bulgaria and per
haps Turkey also participated. The
~ jiesea; Cbbalneeellor continued: i. .aI.E
i'i47 An imnhhstD finally become "a great
united region of intercourse with uni
. form interests. Concurrently with the
gradual disappearance of customs du
ties and frontiers there must be unfit
cation or q far reaching rapproehemen
of economic legislation, especially trade
and industrial tariffs and, the care o.
l labor Certain forms of indirect taxa
ton must be outlined similarly and rail
ways, waterways and other means o
communication must be made to serv
the common interests.
''Sueh cooperation however, is on:
to be thought of in conjunction wit
the maintenance of the political indie
II pendence of the empires concerned
\ while mutual consideration and unite
vlaction in connection with questions 9
l foreign policy are necessary. sa9C~
n political cooperation must be- SUI
/ ported by an understanding on mihtar
questions If the states are bound t,
getber by O treaty of protection, the
must bear proportionately the burden
of this protection, and all would the
- have an Identical interest in the .simpl
:, fication and approximate extension
II military institutions.
II -fThe experiences of the present W,
III have shown what similar training
II arming, equipment and supply syste
II mean in facilitating the conduct of
war and what difficulties their absen
II has entailed. The, military. authoriti
II easily would come to an .understandiI
II of what is necessary in this direction.
II cit would be indeed fine if gener
II world disarmament would be reach,
II with the conclusion of peace. Let
II take a stand for the present, howevt
II on facts and make the alliance eol
II plete. Once Germany and Austria HUI
II gary are economically and political
y united, who in the world would have t
courage, whether alone or with Other
; to run against this bloc, especial
when the war preparations of the ALI
empires are unified, when France
weakened to such a degree as she a
pears today to have no idea of; VIII
Czaristic Russia can be neither me