Evening star., 1920-06-25
AUSTRIA FAVORS
JOINING GERMANY
T0END SUFFERING
individuals Dislike Prussians,
But Are Disappointed
by Entente.
BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.
BY Cable to The Star and Chicago
Daily News. Copyright, 1920.


| VIENNA, June "a. = Practically
Everybody in Austria favors union
with Germany
| Inc small but active group of pan
Germans want it. The socialists feel
that the fact that the German gov
ernment is socialist would strengthen
the somewhat shaky position of So
iclallSm in Austria and want it, The
christian socials or Catholic con-
serVat1ves see no other solution to
Austrla misery By union with
iGermany it is thought that the coun-
try would obtain an efficient govern
ment, that the Industries would get
Goa and rawstuffs. and that the de-
preclated crown would be replaced by
the far stronger mark
Entente Offers No Solution,
That the majority of the Austrians
as lndlVlduals really desire to be alb
| sorped INTO greater Germany is not
| generally believed. Indeed. they par
ticularly dislike Prussia, the spirit of
winch is antitheticaI to their own
sentle. easy-going nature. But they
nate suffered intensely, and have
factory solution to be offered them by
the entente. The idea of a Danube
confederation, which made some
progress last year. was blocked by
me opposition of Italy. which is still
haunted by the fear of the return of
the Hapsburgs and by the intense
narrow rivalry of the Danube states
"hich thus far have been unable even
70 coiiciude economic agreements. The
entente mas not even given Austria
cre-lts. lacking which the country is
slowly falling to pieces.
moreover. the Austrians rather resent
the non annexation clause which France
caused to be inserted in the German
treaty. They are so convinced that
this is the only thing which remains
for them to do that they are hardly
making any effort to establish a life
OF their own. The states surrounding
austria namely. Hungary. Czecho-
sIovakia and Jugoslavia, have no in
terest in seeing Austria live and are
wiling that she should unite with
Germany.
Italy Supporting Idea.
Italy is strongly supporting the idea
OF a union, for she feels that this
would eliminate the Hapsburg danger
once for all and would. moreover, give
Italy a common frontier with Ger
many. which Italy. for political and
economic reasons. now desires.
Britain and the United States are
apparently more or less willing to
let events take their own course Only
france is opposed strongly to the
union on the ground that the annex
alton of 5000 900 Austrians by Ger
many would make Germany alto
gether too strong and dangerous in
the future. Frances sentiment in this
respect is very vigorous and will not
easily be overcome.
Some of the American business men
here claim to have proof that the
Germans, very guardedly, are spend
ing large sums on pro union propa-
ganda. One of the few Austrian lead
who is OnnnSed n q
that the cleverest thing the Germans
are doing in the whole affair is that
lthey are keeping away personally
from Vienna, for he is sure that the
union would no sooner be effected and
the PrusSians begin SWarming down
into Austria than the Austrian peo-
pie would be heartily disguised.
Pleas for Coal Refused.
Several efforts have been made both
allies to persuade Germany to give
Austria coal and make favorable ar
rangements with it to help it live.
but the German government has fiat
ly and repeatedly refused. Germanys
interest obviously is to allow Aus
trias misery to continu until union
becomes absolutely imperative. 1t is
perhaps true that this is the only
solution, yet somehow one cannot
avoid the feeling that the disappear
ance of the name Austria from the
map of Europe would ideed be
great pity, while for Vienna to be-
come merely one more provincial
German city would be loss for the
whole world.
Vienna is great capital. with
great history of achievement in sci
ence. art and especially music. 1t is
the city of Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart,
Bra Inns and Strauss. 1t is not really
Germanic: certainly it is not Prus-
sian in character. but is truly cos
mopolitan. 1t resembles Paris more
than Berlin. The situation which
makes Vienna feel that it is neces-
sary to sacrifice of it's individuality
sary to sacrifice it's individuality
other than it's own is one of the
greatest tragedies of the peace OF