Evening star., 1931-05-13

ton Of a blow at Germany and Austria.
We wish, however, to be more just and
withhold our criticisms until we shall
have obtained more concrete data con-
corning this counter proposal
AS soon as M. BRAND is in position
to lay his plan before us it will become
apparent that we, too, are actually
striving for economic results; that we
have no hidden political aims, and that
we are not working for political pres
tige-aSSuming, of course, that his plan
Is just as effective as ours and more
comprehensive.
/ We shall have little inclination, how
even, to be exploited by others for po-
litical purposes or to permit any policy
of prestige to run counter to the ne
cessity for economic cooperation in
Europe.
Aim Purely Economic.
Our aims are purely economic. It is
not true, as has been stated for the
purpose of discrediting our plan, that
we wished to achieve only a stealthy
advance on the way to q political union
{" ("Anschluss") Of the two German
states.
have no wish whatever to take up
the accusation that, with its customs
plan, Austria is violating her obliga-
tions under the 1922 Geneva protocol.
The basic lines of cooperation which
the two government have worked out
for the tariff negotiations, and which
they have published, are the best
answer to this. Whoever compares,
with an unbiased mind, this foundation
with the Geneva protocol cannot pos
sibly discover any contradictions be-
tween the one and the other-unlesS,
Of course, ne does not believe that we
mean our plan to be taken seriously.
In such case, would reply simply
that "diStrust is no argument and still
less proof!
In the whole matter we have an ab-
solutely clear conscience, as is shown
by the fact that we at once declared
our willingness to submit our plan to
the League of Nations Council for an
examination of its legality as soon as
1t was questioned.
Press Opinion Collected.
To our plan, it is finally objected
that its realization would injure Us
economically. BY way of proving this
assertion there have been collected the
opinions expressed by various Austrian
newspapers which pretend to represent
one section or another of Austrian in
dustry.
1t is common knowledge, however
that even in the case of the most
simple and every day negotiations with
regard to commercial treaties the in
tereSted parties, who see danger to
themselves in the line which negotia-
tions are taking, register protests with
their respective governments. In
reality the purpose Of such negotiations
is to arrange a compromise between
the advantages which are expected and
aimed at and the disadvantages which
can arise.
In the present case the Austrian
government has not yet got into touch
with the representatives Of private
business. Furthermore, the miSgivings
which come chiefly into consideration
with reference to the incomparably
higher producing capacity of German
industry were taken into account In
advance. Through the plans under
discussion a temporary interstate Gus
toms schedule has been agreed upon
in principle with the express purpose
of protecting the weaker Austrian
industry.
Is it not strange that those circles
in Europe which are now concerned
about the economic welfare Of Austria
for years have been pursuing her with
an economic policy which revealed in
difference toward her welfare, or in
activity-or both at once?
For more than a decade Austria has
been waiting turn Of the tide for the
better. Time and again, her govern
ment has declared that it is wholly de-
pendent on an enlargement Of Austria's
economic territory and an extension OF
her markets.
Now she, together with Germany and
In direct conjunction with Brands
pan-Europa plan, has taken the initia-
tive in order to bring help to herself
and to all of Central Europe. We are
met with objections and protests, but
We continue to hope that the pan
European idea in its original purity will
line up on our side as our defender and
helper.
(Copyright, 1881. by North American News
paper Alliance, Inc.)