Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-19
BY FRANK Fl. SIMONDS.

A CHANCE speech of Herr Loebe
~ the Socialist president of the
a German Reichstag, delivered In
4 4 Austria during a musical fes-
tival, has served to set not
merely Berlin and Vienna, but many
other European capitals all af1utter dis
Cussing the eternal question of the
union of Germany and Austria. Polemics
between German and French newspa-
pers have become the order of the day.
II the Italian press is more tranquil, it
is simply because it assumes the grand
manner and announces that. since Ital-
ian prohibition of this project of An
scnluSS has been uttered no question
exists and discussion is idle
And in present time this is the fact.
AS DR.. Stresemann has officially ex-
planned many times, Germany is doing
nothing and planning nothing which
would in any way disturb the political
independence of Austria, and thus upset
the status quo in Central Europe. This
wholly commepdable self-restraint has
its explanation, of course, in the desire
OF Germany to get the allied troops
)ut OF the Rhineland as soon as possible.
To plan step which would amount to
| tearing up the treaty of Versailles
would, of course be the surest way to
destroy any hope of such evacuation.
Officially the German and Austrian
| policies are and will remain wholly cor
| rect for long time to come. 1t is to
| the unofficial activities and perform
ances of Germans and Austrians that
| the world owes the present furry. AS
| to the larger question of principle there
| can be no debate over the fact that
| the AustrianS are Teutonic people,
and that by virtue of the doctrine of
| differentiation are entitled to dis
/ pose of themselves as they may choose
If any people has a right to be free
| and to shape their fortunes as they
choose, then all have. To forbid the
Austrians to join their fellow Germans
of the Reich is nonsense logically. and
in addition constitutes a clear injustice
Would Be Blow to Monarchists.
On the other hand, 1t is clear that
there are very important elements in
both Germany and Austria who are op-
posed to AnSchluSs Today Austria is
divided between two political parties
the S aliSts and the Catholics. Both
are equally republican or. what is to the
point. both would agree in opposing the
restoration of the Hohenzollerns, were
Austria to join Germany. Inevitably
German Social Democratic party, al
ready the most powerful single party In
the Reich. while the Catholics would
just as surely ally themselves with the
Bavarian Peoples party. also Catholic
and in most matters close ally of the
Center party which is chiefly recruited
from the Catholics of Prussia
The addition of these two republi-
can parties 10 the Weimar bloc in Ger
many would certainly give the Social
lists, Catholics and Democrats a clear
majority. Such situation would be
obviously totally unwelcome for The
Nationalist. 1t would put an end tC
all discussion of any monarchial restor-
alton, and it would still further reduce
their Importance as a political party
| in domestic affairs. Nor would it
be much more pleasing to the People S
party, which at present holds the ball
/ ance of power and is also able TO exact
a high price for its support of the
| Weimar group.
| You have. then. the wholly ridicu-
/ lous situation in which all the Germans
agree in denouncing the moral aspect
| OF the policy which forbids Anschluss.
but, at the same time you have two of
the very considerable German political
parties for personal reasons viewing the
anxious that the former allies will ad-
here to their iniquitous policy of for
bidding the union OF Germany and Aus
trla. Just as long as this situation
continues. the Nationalist and Peoples
party members are going to continue to
denounce allied policy. but IL the allies
ever modify it their real anger will be
far more intense
As for the AustrianS. they hate the
PrusSianS and are fearful that if thew
Join Germany they will be submitted
to the rigid discipline of the Prussian
school They have close sympathy and
afnnity with the south Germans in gen.
eral and with the BavarianS in partic-
ular, but they perceive that it is the
PruSSianS who dominate the Reich and
are likely TO continue TO impose their
administrative methods. For the edu-
Gated Austrian the PruSSian is at once
a barbarian and q boor. and union with
the Reich in these circumstances is
far from attractive.
Austrian Condition Rad.
On the other hand, economically Aus
trla has not proved a success. The frac-
ment which remains of the once proud
HapSburg state, with a huge capital and
! a relatively small and poor agricultural
country, has Ill no sense demonstrated
that 1t is going concern or can be
I made such. In this situation union
With the great and induStrially success
| ful Germany seems the only solution.
The question is not sentimental but
material; the Austrians are fully re-
signed to being free and independent, If
only some one will support them or in
dictate a way by which they can support
themselves without excessive applica-
ton. For, after all. they are pleasure
loving people.
But the constant menace of italian
policy. the enduring resentment pro-
voked by the Italian treatment of the
German minority in the Upper Adige.
that traction of the Tyrol which went
to Italy by the peace treaties, have
served to give political character 10 a
proposal hitherto simply economic. The
AuStrianS are frankly afraid of italy.
they are fearful that Italv win S,>o,,c,