Evening star., 1932-03-26

mania. in an alliance called the Little
Entente, intended mainly to prevent
Hungary from recovering its lost terri
tories, occupied a dominant military
position as against half-disarmed Hun
gary and Austria.
France as the ally Of the Little En-
tente, has been a powerful factor, out
whereas the French interests in Central
Europe are more or less indirect, ootn
Italy and Germany claim direct inter-
ests. Both have aspired to sort OF
hegemony over the smaller states In
this region. Both resent French nf1u-
ence, which they long have been trying
to counteract, with Germany using
Austria as a pawn and Italy using
Hungary.
Great Britain-which, like France
has no direct interests alcng the
Danube except those of normal COM
merce-has tended to oppose the Little
Entente and has to some extent sup
ported both Italy and Germany in their
ambitions on the general theory that
France today is too strong" in Europe
About year ago Germany tried to
rush matters and confront Europe with
an accomplished fact by its surprise
announcement of an imminent Austro-
German customs union. France and
the Little Entente, aided somewhat by
Italy and Great Britain. blocked this
move, first automatically and then
juridically through a decision by the
World Court
But. meanwhile, in the midst of the
economic depression, while Frances al
lies, Czechoslovakia, Rumania and
Jugoslavia, have been faring fairly
well, the plight of Hungary and Austria
is once more desperate. Both need
loans to stave off utter collapse and
only France, apparently, can give them
loans. Both. therefore, have been NOV
ing reluctantly toward the necessity Of
asking France for terms.
1t is in these circumstances that
France has put forward its Danube
proposals as follows:
Hungary, Austria Czechoslovakia,
Rumania and Jugoslavia shall re-eStab-
liSh a sort of economic unity by means
of a system of preferential tariffs. To
facilitate this unity France is ready to
abandon the most-favored-na clause
in these five states and hopes that
other countries will do the same. In
addition, once this Is accomplished,
France is ready to try to help them
financially
No political conditions are attached
to the proposal All France asks Is
that Italy, Germany and Great Britain,
as well as France itself, stand aside and
let the five Danube nations try to
reach their own conclusions subject
afterward to ratification by the larger
powers. For example, France foresees
that Germany, Italy, Poland and Great
Britain will all desire later to make
their own. concessions on the repara-
tions question
Italy Inclined to Agree.
Italy also seems to be inclined to
support it, provided it gets satisfactory
concessions in more general colonial
and naval agreement, which it is be-
ginning to discuss with France
Germany. however, is utterly and alb
solutely opposed to Strengthening of
Frances position in Central Europe, :"
says the Kreuz zeitung. "and it must
be prevented at any price"
The Financial Committee of the
League of Nations, after celebrating
on appeals for aid from Hungary and
Austria, has just reported in favor of
immediate flrst-aid loans and economic
agreements among the Danube States.
If France and Great Britain agree,
it is thought that Italy can be brought
in. And if these three show that they
are in accord, then Germany. it is
hoped, can possibly be induced to with
draw its opposition by means of repa-
rations concessions from France
Thus, it is being argued, through a
Danube understanding the way might
be opened to Franco-Italian and Fran
co-German understandings and, hence.
to new reparations solution and even
genuine success for the Disarmament
Conference.
At present, however, all these are
mere hopes. 1t remains to be seen
whether Europe even now is ready to
make real peace.
CopyriRht 1882