Evening star., 1921-05-27
AUSTR|A-GERMANY
FUSION |SEAvORED
Other Provinces Expected to
Follow TyroI in Sentimental
Referendums.

VIENNA. May c6.-Threa more prov
inces will initiate the Tyrol and hold
sentimental refere ndums on the aues-
ton Of the fusion Of Austria with Ger
many. Salzburg. Styria and upper Aus
tria have set May 80 as the tcntatil"
date for the ballot. and il is believe,
that Carinthia also will fall into lin.
\oralberg, the Westernmost Of tn
states. last summer voted practically
unanimously TO join Switzerland.
me almost una nirlous vote for fusion
IN the Tyrol on April 24swas a surpriS.'
even to the most ardent of fusionists
They had estimated an so TO 30 per cent
favorable ballot. and il is conceded thai
those hard-headed mountaineers who
voted simply because OF the entent,
prohibition against The referendum.
The movement toward a union with
Germany. born almost rnmedia tely aftfr
the creation of the republic. has grown
steadily. and these sporadic and inde-
pendent referendumS are the outgrowth
! OF the failure Of the effort to force th,
central government, 10 defy the cntent-
ana order = nation wide vote.
Expect Union Majority.
According 10 foreign observers who
lave kept "A waichful eye on the agita
! ton. there is no doubt that tho total
Vote Will show heavy ma jority for IN
union. They do not share the belief
| professed by the opponents OF the move
! ment that if the vote actually mean,
action instead Of sentimental expires
sion of opinion it would not carry.
| ON the contrary. they cypress the he
| lief that il is genuine and earnest
| thought and desire on the part OF thu
| mass Of the people and say they are
motivated by three controlling things.
First is the firmly rooted conviction
frio ,~x-ix- l,,.
or economically as an Independent state
The economic arguments have been SET
before the world officially and unofficialiy
for the past two years. but the political
| phase of the matter was brought to
| focus by the former Emperor Charles'
recent attempt to regain the throne in
Hungary.
The threat of Jugoslavia, Czechoslo-
vakia and Rumania to occupy Hungary
IL Hapsburg is restored spells an
| inevitable occupation of Austria along
| with il. They realize the utter i'm
potence of the little unarmed republic
against its powerful Sav neighbors, and
| the present political situa ton in central
Europe does not calm their apprehen-
sions.
| Would Strengthen Position.
AS part of the stronger German state
they feel that they would be- secure
against any aggression and at the same
time obtain advantages of a commercial
nature which they cannot hope to gain
| independently. The belief of Austria in
the reha bilitation of Germany is abiding.
and they wish to share IL
Behind this motive is said to lie the
! natural racial and language tie. coupled
with the dread that Slav institutions will
| supplant their Germanic traditions and
culture.
Another important factor is the well
,, organ nized and effective German propa-
ganda. Directed by north Germans and
financed by them it evidenced its eff
cheney in the Tyrol vote. The Vienna
opposition press openly charged that
4, 000, 900 marks were spent on that ref
erendum alone and that as much more
as may be needed will be forthcoming
| 20 keep the moving going.
Coupled with this charge is the name
of Hugo SHINES. the great German
| capitalist. whose recent business invasion
of Austria. ranging from purchases of
! newspapers in Vienna and every pro-
/ vincial capital through many enter
! prses to control of the great Alpine
| Montague corporation. one of the largest
in Europe, has had frst-page newspaper
place for months.