Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-18
Europe's Tariff Tribulations.

GuIUDE y 1dl1A 411pulobAO1AS'
At Geneva today the Council Of the
League of Nations takes up the tangled
skein CT European tariffs, in the des-
perate hope of evolving pattern upon
which there can be approximate agree
nent. The prospects can hardly be de-
scribed as bright. Divided against
| itself by host of military and political
differences, the European house is at
particular loggerheads on tariffs. These
have been aptly likened by DR.. Julius
Klein to five thousand miles Of barbed
| wire entanglements," erected to OBJ
struct trade predestined by natural
conditions and needs to take its course
across national boundaries more or
less unhindered.
There was chaos enough in such a
situation before Germany end Austria
aggravated it by proposing bilateral
customs union of their own. That put
the fat into the fire. How hot the fire
has already become was manifested in
Geneva on Saturday, when German
Foreign Minister DR.. Curtius pitch
forked the scheme into the picture. I'm
der the Craftsmanship Of M. BRAND,
Old World foreign ministers had assem-
bled as members Of the Commission for
European Union" to discuss the French
statesman's famous United States of
Europe" project. 1t was not DR.. Cur
thus conscious purpose to provoke a
controversy over German-Austrian Gus
toms union. He mentioned it more or
less casually in a general dissertation
upon Europe's fiscal woes, but M.
BRAND, smarting under the blows Of
fate which smashed his presidential
ambitions last week-many thought that
German-Austrian plans were his meme
sis-felt called upon then and there to
proclaim that France could not and
would not accept those plans.
So although these were not scheduled
to be debated until today's League Coun-
Gil session, Saturdays events pitched
the key in which it is now certain they
will be considered. Soon after DR.. Cur
titus broke the ice, Austrian Vice Chan
cellor DR.. Schober plunged into the fray.
He said his enac.ated country cannot
wait" She had entered into nsgotia-
tions with Germany because Berlin
offers Vienna something immediate and
concrete instead of merely the possibility
of something to be incubated by an
international conference. Austria, DR..
Schober explained in effect, is fatigued
with discussion and deferment and re-
quires decision
NJ. BRAND voiced the familiar protest
that German-Austrian customs union
violates the treaties of Versailles and
| st. German. II believe in the necessity
for common effort" he expostulated,
"but must insist that everything be
excluded which can arouse anxiety and
| d.strust." The arxiety and distrust
which fill the French are the fears
that customs union is the forerunner
| OF Anschluss, or German-Austrian politi-
cal consolidation, with a new menace
! Of pan-Germanis:n. Italian Foreign
Minister Grand supported NJ Brands
objections to the legal" transgressions
| involved.
Before the acrimonious sitting adj
! journed amid rising tension, France
! submitted her Wanted counter project.
The answer to the Teutonic tariff
scheme would provide relief for Euro
pean agricultural stats: for wide extern
I sion Of the industrial cartel system,
| partly through lowered tariffs; for spe-
| cial privileges to Austria, notably prefer
! ence duties by neighbor states to the
| advantage Of Austrian manufacturers,
and for improvement Of European credit
facilities through League financial
/ agencies.
From this far-of angle it must be
! confessed that the Germans and Aus
TRANS seem to prefer the far more
common-sense method of escape from
the European tariff maze. They
are essaying to put into practice on a
limited scale a plan which, should it
prove workable, could be expanded so
IS 10 include any number of other
! countries. DR.. Curtius asserted at
! Geneva that as customs barriers are to
blame for many Of Eurcpe's economic
/ difficulties, Germany and Austria are
attempting to obliterate them as far as
lies in their own power. If anybody
else cares to join in the removal proc
ess, 50 much the better
This sounds to American ears like
brass tacks. In another Of our idioms
1t sounds like asking Europe to fish or
cut bait. There may be international
lawyer objections to the German-Aus
trian plan, based on a technical inter-
probation Of treaty terms. Otherwise IL
looks on this side Of the Atlantic as If
bilateral tariff agreements between
European countries able readily to get
together, and which for variety of
reasons belong together, are preferable,
at least as the first stage In a curative
scheme, To multilateral agreements
which for reasons no less various are
an Indefinitely unattainable panacea.
--------S-@oas-A-----
1t seems as If almost everything re-
ported in the press recently involves