Evening star., 1931-05-31
EUROPE BREATHES EASIER
+ WITH ANSCHLUSS TABLED
Austro-German Unity Impossible as Yet,
But Proposals Awaken World to
Chaotic Situation i'm Austria.

confusion than was provoked by the
original German gesture.
Morally. at least. there can be no OBJ
lection to- the eventual union OF two
German-speaking nations if both desire
it, whatever may be the legal prohi-
billions Of treaty OF peace which In
this respect patiently sinned against the
principle of self-determination and de-
MED to the 100000 Of Austrians ex-
the Czechs. Serbs, Poles and Rumanians
Europe was torn to bits.
Nor is it less clear that time has
worked against the conceptions of the
Paris treaty makers, who hoped Aus
tria would develop as did Belgium,
which after the revolution Of 1880. by
which it escaped from Dutch rule,
sought union with France. Instead.
Austria has declined economically and
at the same time has refused utterly to
accept the independence thrust upon
her. On nv last visit TO Vienna I
found that after three years the senti-
ment in favor of union with Germany
had gained enormously and that, while
there was no enthusiasm for the prof.
ect and an enduring dislike for the
North Germans, it had been accepted
as inevitable
Nevertheless the explosion following
the recent Austro German proposal
clearly demonstrated that. while time
was working for the Anschluss, the mo-
ment was yet in the future when real.
ization would be possible. even on the
economic side. Both Austria and Ger
many must continue to be large borrow
ers in the world market. and loans will
not be forthcoming while Europe is in
turmoil. much less will they be avail
able from a suspicious and hostile
France. 1t is therefore difficult not to
believe that now. on the one hand.
German and Austrian financial neces-
stiles will find some accommodation
and, on the other. that the Austrian
and German governments, pointing to
this result as a practical triumph for
their maneuver. will consent to a post
ponement Of the larger scheme.
Reveals Chaotic Situation.
Thus this episode seems likely to have
two consequences. On the one hand, it
cannot be gainsaid that 1t has served
to call attention to the chaotic polit-
ical situation in Europe. which has for
background the unmistakable eco
nomic and moral disintegration that Is
proceeding progressively in all of Gen.
trail Europe. On the other side, 1t has
emphasized the necessity OF action; 1t
has forced even upon the French re-
luctant and tardy perception that their
political system in Europe Is doomed if
they cannot find an economic basis.
BY Furnishing BRAND, France has dis
closed an immutable purpose to pre-
vent Austro German union, but the
logic of events has driven it to a con-
Sideration of alternative projects for
European economic reorganization.
1t would be absurd to imagine, de-
spite the glowing prospectus which ta1s
French statesmen have put forth IN
Geneva, that any elaborate and COM
plicated machinery can be set up in
l year or 10. The very essence Of the
question is whether the collision of two
great forces and conceptions will re-
suit in an eventual acceptance Of the
ing Of the opposed wills. In the former
case. much can be hoped for; in the
latter. we may see toward the end OF
this year. probably at the meeting of
the Assembly of the League of Nations
in September. a real struggle.
In any event. Europe has obtained
breathing spell after bad moment and
real crisis. To say that war might
have resulted had there been no court
available is an exaggeration.
Europe is not war-minded in the
present hour: in fact, the imposSibility
of war is the single point of common
agreement throughout the continent
But what might have happened was an
accentuation of the bitterness and a
further poisoning of the atmosphere,
Stiffening the political barriers TO any
economic recovery.
Chance for Adjustment.
There is, too. at least reasonable
basis for hope in the analogy between
the current situa ton and that in 1922
%, which was marked first by the
failure of the Genoa conference and
then by the occupa ton of the Ruhr
BY the close of 1923 Europe seemed
hopelesSly ruined. And yet, beginning
with the making of tie Dawes plan in
1924 and eliminating in Locarno in
1925. there followed after collective
madness period of impressive common
sense, with the result that five years
after the Ruhr occupation Europe
seemed well on the way to peace and
prosperity.
Putting the thing at the lowest level.
there Is at least the chance OF similar
transformation. To be sure. nothing
las actually been accomplished at
Geneva. All the elements of dissolu-
ton and disagreement remain. But an
actual deadlock was averted. a period
OF tranquility was allowed. Every one
has been pretty plainly scared by the
horizons which have been lifted. Now,
while the World Court ponders upon
the legal aspects of the question, the
statesmen have a chance to discuss the
political II they are able to do some
thing positive, the political barrier to
the economic recovery of Europe may
be lowered, but unless they 90 it is
hard to see any prospect of the end Of
the European phase of the world crisis
in any present time.
tCopyright, 1881. by Mcclure Newspaper
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