Evening star., 1932-04-18
Europe's Needs Proclaimed
AS Danube Conference Fails

such circumstances the London confer
ence was bound to fail"
THE inevitable facing of realities was
only postponed at London" declares the
Chicago Daily News, assuming that col
lapse of the conference indicates clearly
that political and economic rivalries
arising out of the postwar settlements
still predominant in Europe" The Daily
News continues: Its failure must be
regarded as a discouraging omen. 1t Is
true that on the eve of the conference
France reached some sort OF under
standing with Great Britain regarding a
Danubian policy, but that bridging OF
an old chasm merely strengthened the
ties between Italy and Germany as op-
ponentS of any measure which might
extend French influence in Central Eu-
rope Still, if Austria and Hungary are
to obtain desperately needed loans,
France in all probability must advance
them, and the French are as realistic
in lending money as they are in govern
ing They would scarcely risk loans TO
Austria and Hungary without political
guarantees that would be viewed by
Germany and Italy as unfavorable to
their ideas concerning the reconstruc-
ton of Central Europe. Neither Ger
many nor Italy can lend the Danubian
states the funds required. and American
and British bankers who flooded that
part of Europe with money must i'm
potently contemplate the melting away
OF the process of their loans. They
cannot control the rivalries Of Central
Europe, nor can they lend additional
sums to governments floundering in
budgetary moraSSes."
The failure to agree is not so repre-
hensible as it might be if the issue were
-, f,1f he fttIU ont nf the SnrinQ-
field (MaSS.) Republican, while the Oak
land Tribune points out that there
cannot be any economic coalition of the
Danube countries without the permis sion
of the leading powers, and that pernlis-
sion, it would appear. is not to be ex-
tended without great deal OF dellbera-
ton" That paper feels that "the hope
and 1t is not offered as a large one
is that continued negotiations through
the League Council at Geneva may ad-
vance the cause" The Columbia IS. c.
state holds that such a union OF the
Danubian states as is proposed should
help tremendously in the free inter-
change of products and in the reciprocal
aid OF one another; that it would be
a great help also to the rest of Europe,
If in no other way than by lifting the
immense burdens that now crush her"
1T is certain" in the opinion of the
Hamilton tOntario) Spectator, that
the tariff barriers between the various
Danubian states will be considerably
lowered. Some 60 so far as to predict
that q customs union In Central Europe
might eventually develop so as to in
clude France. Germany and Italy. and
thus give birth to United States OF
Europe the project so dear to the heart
Of the late NJ. BRAND"
"a tariff union excluding Germany"
states the Newark Evening News, would
be an arch without keystone. So in
terrelated Is the commerce OF Europe
that the present maze of high tarin
walls around each state is the chief OBJ
stacle not only to prosperity but to
peace, because 1t intensifies national
feeling and jealousies. 1t is now being
seen that the walls cannot be torn down
in spots without making natters worse
instead Of better. Realization of the
need for freeing the flow OF commerce
is one big step toward Europe's economic
union, and on that same path is political
union"