Evening star., 1934-12-16
DANUBE IS NEW FRONTIER
OF FRANCE AND GERMANY
Reich's Plan to Unite With Austria
Fraught With Peril to Peace
of Europe.

systems in the Danubian Basin by q
German combination.
Today National Socialist Germany
is not strong enough to create her
Mitteleuropa by arms nor has she the
financial resources to meet France in
the Danubian area. She is, there
fore, forced to wait and to prepare.
But she will neither renounce prepara-
ton nor design. On the contrary she
will seek to offer Rome, Paris and
London a bargain based upon the
status quo on the Rhine and the Alps.
But If France and Italy refuse to
assent to German purposes in the
Danubian Basin then war may be
postponed, but it cannot be prevented.
Italy Sees Austrian Peril.
1t goes without saying that the
British would prefer Austro- German
union to a new continental war. 1t is,
however, not less plain that Mussolini
and his Fascist followers regard the
possession of Austria by Germany as
deadly threat to Italian security. AS
for the French, they cannot get rid OF
the haunting apprehension that If
Germany got Austria and controlled
Czechoslovakia she would one day be
seized with the desire to recover
Alsace-Lorraine, and by that time
would be too strong for France, even
with British aid, to resist.
There is the real problem of peace
in contemporary Europe. It is posed
by the determination of the Germans
to bring about a union of Austria and
the Reich. That determination will
endure even If Hitler should disappear.
And until the Austrian people have
been permitted to vote on the question
of union under conditions as fair as
those now fixed for the Saar plebiscite,
it is difficult to deny that the right
of the matter rests with the Germans.
The brutalities and bestialities Of the
Nal regime should not blind Ameri-
cans to the essential justice Of the
German case in respect to Austria.
Nor should any French or Italian
arguments serve to conceal the fact
that the German solution Of the Gen.
trail European problem is economically
the sole answer yet discoverable. In
dustrial Germany and agrarian Hun
gary, Yugoslavia and Rumania con-
stitute naturally complementary areas.
Neither Italy nor France can supply
considerable markets for the foodstuffs
of these three states nor can they hope
to compete successfully with German
industry in this area.
French Alliances Crumble.
The French system Of alliances in
this region, which has so far suficed
to maintain the status quo of the
Paris Peace Conference, is crumbling.
Poland has quit, Yugoslavia is look
ing to erlin rather, than to Paris.
The Lite Entente as q whole Is taking
a new and independent line, since
France and Italy have been -visibly
drawing together. And in the same
fashion italian influence in Vienna is
always under challenge, while the
connection between Budapest and
Rome could snap at any moment. For
the Hungarians are aware 1t Is their
association with Italy which has led
to the present attack made upon them
by Yugoslavia, backed by her partners
of the Little Entente.
That France and Italy, even If they
presently settle all their differences,
which seems likely, can permanently
arrest German advance to Vienna
and the creation of a great economic
Mitteleuropa I do not for moment
imagine. On the other hand, it seems
certain that as Germany succeeds in
her designs, France, Italy and Great
Britain will be forced into closer and
closer association in the presence OF
a great and powerful new Germany
Such a combination should serve to
dissuade any German regime from an
attack either upon France or Italy
In the very nature of things, too, the
Soviet Union would stand with the
western powers.
When the Hapsburg monarchy dis
solved in 1918 Germany became the
natural heir to the bulk Of the Aus
trian half. Geography and economics
both dictated this solution. BY politics
it has been arrested for half a gen.
Grafton, and it is by no means impos-
sible that this arrest may be prolonged
for some time yet. Unquestionably
the arrival of Hitler has postponed
that solution because 1t has raised
opposition among the Austrian Ger
mans both for religious and political
reasons. Nevertheless no alternative
has been found.
To have prevented the eventual
union of Austria and Germany, France
and Italy must have united in a COM
mon policy which would have estab-
lished an economic association be-
tween the Czech, Austrian and Hun
parian factions of the old dual mon.
archy. And to do that they would
| have had to bestow territorially just
| and fair settlement upon the Hungari-
ans. Instead, France and Italy
launched rival policies which-far
from ending-perpetuated the eco
nomic chaos and political confusion
in the Danubian area. Now the time
has passed when either can undo what
both have achieved.
Peace between France and Ger.
many and between Italy and Ger
many-that Is, organized peace, a.
contrasted with truce of expediency
such as exists today-can only be
reached as France and Italy resign
themselves to the union of Austria
with the Reich, and all the political
and economic consequences OF sucf
a union. That would mean thai
France must abandon her Centra
European allies, which comprise the
Little Entente, and that Italy mus
drop her present protectorate ovel
Austria and partnership with Hun
gary. The alternative is a war oi
balance of power, fought to prevent
Germany from acquiring a danger
ously disproportionate strength.
AS long as France undertakes II
| the name Of the status quo to forbid
German advance down the Danube
and to strengthen her opposition by
alliances with the nations Of the Lit.
tie Entente, genuine Franco German
peace is out Of the question. But
Franco-G German clash has no direct
cause growing out of immediate
Franco German interests. Sometime