Evening star., 1933-08-25
TALY'S TRADE AID
MOVE RAISES FEAR
Economic Help to Austria and
Hungary May Create
Complications.
Continued From First Page.)


view such as the American Govern
ment is having. the proposed action Of
Italy's dictator is welcome. 1t may
assist materially to the economic re-
construction of Europe.
But from the purely European point
Of view the action of II Duce is frowned
upon, especially by France. which sees
in 1t another attempt of Italy to gain
political and ecol mic preponderance
In Central and Sc utheaStern Europe.
The question of the formation Of a
Danubian confederation to include Aus
tria, Hungary, Rumania, Yugoslavia and
CzechoSlovakia has been actively dis
cuSsed for the last five years. The idea.
in itself. is very good and If these five
nations could get together and organize
such confederation it would greatly
assist the settlement Of Europe. But
unfortunately the big continental pow
ers have been making this q tool to
promote their own political interests
and their grip on these helpless nations
Germany started in 1881. by announc-
ing the Anschluss with Austria The
spectacular announcement threw Ger
many into bankruptcy and almost
brought about new conf1agration in
Europe. Germany, too weak to stick
to her guns had to abandon the idea
France followed suit a year later,
when it proposed the organization of
Danubian confederation under her au-
spices.
French Effort Tnwartcd.
The interested powers, Italy, France
and Germany met in London in 1892,
and there the combined German Italian
efforts punctured the French attempt,
and the StatuSquo was maintained to
the detriment of he Daunbian states.
few months later Italy endeavored
to do the same thing, but her efforts
we're frustrated by the French opposi-
ton. France put pressure on her al
lies. the little entente, and Italy'S plans
failed
Chancellor Hitler's efforts to Nazify
Austria despite the latters resistance
save Italy an excellent opportunity to
accomplish what she could not do by
ordinary diplomatic action
The AustrianS do not want to be in
corporated to Nazi Germany. Chancel-
lor Dolfuss appealed for help during
the London Economic Conference and
obtained good words, but no real as
slstance. After canvassing the situation
carefully he realized that of the four
European major powers Italy was the
country which, on account Of its i'm
mediate proximity to the Austrian from
tier, could best help his country. and so
he went to Italy, where he is reported to
have concluded the agreement which is
made public today.
Constitutes First Step.
This does not mean that the Danu-
ban confederation, under the protect
ing wing of Italy, has actually been
formed. But the first important step
toward the accomplishment Of such a
plan has been materially realized
Two other nations are greatly in
sympathy with Italy's policy. Hungary
and Bulgaria. 1t is reliably stated
here that these two are likely to join
the Austrians in the near future and
form the first links Of the confedera-
ton under the supervision of Italy. 1t
is considered unlikely that either Ru
mania or JugoSlaVia will follow the
footsteps Of these three nations. Their
relations with France are such that
they must remain in the sphere Of in
fluence Of that country.
But the close cooperation between
the small Austrian republic with the
Italian kingdom is undoubtedly the
most sensational development which
has occurred in Europe in the last few
years.
students Of the European question ask
themselves is what will Frances atti-
tude be?"
During the last few months. and es-
pecially since the signature Of the four
power pact. the relations between Italy
and France. which had been strained to
a danger point in the last few years.
appeared to have improved, on the
surface at least.
The French government is reported
to consider the economic agreement be-
tween Austria and Italy as an attempt
Of the latter country to stab France in
the back
The French general staff, which is
equally Suspicious of Italy and Ger
many and is still convinced Of the pos
sibility of an Italo-German cooper
alton in case of trouble in Europe sees
in this move on the part of II Duce
another proof that their Judgment of
the situation is correct and that Italy
is preparing the ground for the organi-
zation of an important central Euro
pean bloc under Italy'S leadership
1t is believed in Washington that the
French will do their utmost to prevent
the consummaticn of an Italian-Aus-
trian-Hungarian agreement. which is
said to have the tacit approval of even
Chancellor Hitler himself