Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-05
AustrO-Cerman Customs
Accord Pleases BritOns
BY A. G. GARDINER.

LONDON, April Arthur Hender-
son, foreign secretary, is rapidly estab-
| fishing himself as the peacemaker OF
Europe. He has followed up his re-
markable achievement = in bringing
France and Italy into agreement on the
naval iSSue-an achievement entirely
due to his intrepid intervention at a
most critical moment-by finding So
luton for the AuStro-G German customs
crisis
Henderson's speech in the House of
Commons this week intimating his in
tention to bring the question of the
legality Of the proposed Austro- Ger
man union before the Council of the
League of Nations has Gained French
excitement without unduly provoking
German feeling.
X y n
The only criticism of his action here
comes from his own supporters, who
feel that the French uproar is out of
all proportion to the merits Of the case.
1t is admitted that Germany and Aus
tria made the announcement bluntly;
but even the London Times agrees that
there is the thinnest possible case
against the legality of such an arrange
ment, and all Liberal and Labor opin-
ion is emphatically hostile to the idea
that Germany and Austria are prohib-
tied from abolishing tariffs If they are
so disposed. BY common consent, the
removal of tariffs is one of the most
necessary preliminarieS to restoring
economic prosperity on the Continent,
and the cutlery in Paris against the frst
conspicuous step In that direction Is re-
garded here with much disfavor, espe-
cially in view Of the fact that the pro-
f1ncN6 de
X x X *
Feeling is not lessened by the consid-
Grafton that the real motive for the
Paris outcry is a suspicion that the
customs union is the thin end OF a
wedge to "anschluss," or political union.
No justification exists for that suspi-
cion, but the fact that the French raise
1t has served to direct the public mind
to the subject. Liberal opinion here
always has been antagonistic to the re-
fusal to allow Germany and Austria to
form a political union. The necessity
for such a union is peculiarly obvious
in the case OF Austria, which, after the
mutilations by the peace treaty, has
been left a mere fragment of herself,
surrounded by the hostile feudatories OF
France and without means OF sustain
ing an adequate economic existence.
The only serious opposition to an
SchlusS" comes from France, on undiS-
guised politico-mtlitary grounds, which,
If the League covenant and the KEEL
logg anti-war pact have any reality,
should be non-exlstent.
X X X
In regard to the proposed customs
union, even the Conservative press, while
agreeing with the wisdom of Hender-
sons policy in submitting the issue to
the League, expresses the hope that the
scheme will go through. In other quar-
tiers it is pointed out that France Is the
last nation entitled to object to such
reasonable economic arrangement IN
view of the fact that she has made Sc
cret political treaties with Belgium and
ether feudatories, the terms OF which,
in defiance of the provisions OF the
League covenant have never been dis
closed to the League. Whatever the re-
suit. every one agrees with Henderson's
remark that the case illustrates the in
valuable advantage to Europe of the
League as an instrument dealing with
crises of this sort, and the opinion
is widely expressed that ruling on
the legalitieS of the matter should be
delegated to the Permanent Court OF
Justice.
The incident is not only an illustra-
ness in regard to Germany. Equally in
defensible Is the indignation expressed
over President Won Hindenburg's resort
to special powers to deal with political
excuses. The necessity for those pow
ers is obvious. Germany was rapidly ap-
preaching the condition or two armed
camps, and the conflicts of the Hitlerites
and the Communists were assuming the
gravest magnitude. Between the ham
mer and the anvil, the existence of the
German Republic was threatened.
Does France suppose Ene fall Of the
German government ana the triumph
of the rebels, of either the right or left
wing. would be beneficial to her or to
Europe? If not, it is In her interest as
well as in the interest Of Germany that
the Berlin government should be in
position to preserve order and maintain
the stability of the state. Yet section
of the French press AFFECTS to see in
the PRONUNCIATION Of the emergency de-
cree the yelled hArds of Prussianism.
Could anything asks the London Spec
tafnr. be mora ridiculous fhan this attis