Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-28
TARIFF COUP ST|RS
EUROPE TO DEPTHS
AS FACTIONS FORM
AuStro-G German Customs Ac-
cord May Become Biggest
Issue of Decade.
COUNTER MOVES STUDIED
BY OFFENDED NATIONS
Britain Plays for Time, While
France Cautiously Explores Pos
sibilities of Agreement.
BY PAUL SCOTT MowRER.


BY Cable to The Star.
PARIS, France, March 28.-The pro-
jected Austro-G German economic union
is now regarded, not in France and
Great Britain alone, but throughout
Europe, as perhaps the most important
international event of the last 10 years
Only general principles are laid down
in the agreement secretly reached and
sensationally announced by Germany
and Austria. Completion of the union
viii require. it is said, at least two
months more work.
Similarly, no formal protest has yet
been made by any power. All the in
terested countries. however, have re-
uuested additional information from
Berlin and Vienna and have been
actively exchanging views among them
eelves.
Britain Seeks Delay.
Great Britain, after conversations
with France, has asked Germany and
Austria to delay completion OF the union
until the question can be examined by
the Council Of the League of Nations
next May. Germany and Austria have
replied that they see no reason for such
q delay, as the proposed union con-
Germs only Austria and Germany and
infringes on no treaties. Great Britain
is understood to be contemplating 9
repetition Of its request in stronger
terms.
This is the present situation. But in
reality the affair seems TO be only al
its beginning and bids fair to dominate
European politics for some weeks to
come.
Germany and Austria declare firmly
that they intend to pursue their plans
whatever happens. Eduard Benss
foreign Minister of Czechoslovakia
which Is the country most seriously az
fected by the proposed union, predicts
that the union viii never be effected
because Austria viii presently back out
Would Admit Others.
Between these two viewpoints, there
Is apparently room for many different
DEVELOPMENTS.
The German Austrian thesis is that
the projected union Is purely economic,
leaves both countries completely indie
pendent, infrihges on no treaties and
is a good thing for everybody because
1t Is q really concrete step IN the d.
rection of regional economic under
standings. They are ready. they say. "a
negotiate entry into the union with any
other country or countries. They seem
indeed. already to have sounded Hun
gary, Rumania and Jugoslayia to this
end
But in general the Austro-German
thesis is not accepted by the other
powers. The argument of its main ad-
versaries may be summarized thus:
The proposed union is really polit-
zeal wolf IN economic sleeps clothing
Its real aim Is to prepare the way for
the complete union of Austria to Ger
many, re-establishment of "Mittel-Eu-
ropa" and recommencement of the
'tDrang Mach Osten," which were the
major foreign policies of old imperial
Germany.
See Czechs Coerced.
In other words, Germany, through
Austria, would extend its influence first
over Hungary and then Rumania and
Jugoslavis. Czechoslovakia, surrounded
would be forced to Join the Germanic
bloc and the way would be opened once
more for Germany to the Adriatic and
via Bulgaria, 10 the Black Sea.
II was precisely TO prevent this that
the former allies inserted in the st. Ger
main peace treaty a clause forbiddine
Austria TO ALLEVIATE its independence.
similar clause was inserted in the 1922
agreement whereby Austrian reparationc
were reduced to almost nothing and
loans were granted to Austria under the
supervision of the League of Nations.
Germany and Austria are accused
Of international bad manners and du-
plicity because they negcti8ted the
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