Evening star., 1938-02-13
HITLER MAKES BID.
CANCELLATION.
TO EASE TENSION
Schuschnigg Talk Linked
With Overtures to
Churches.
THREE-POINT DECISION
is REPORTED REACHED
Nazi Agitation End in Austria
Declared Promised by
Reichsfuehrer.

BACkGROUND-
As consequence of Reichstuehrer
Hitler's drastic reform OF German
diplomatic and military services
waue Of rumors spread through
Europe Thursday that German
Army wds in revolt and frontiers
had been closed Reports found
baseless and German officials
blamed Polish -Jewish sourses.
BY the Associated Press.
BERLIN, Feb 12-Adolf Hitler
surprised Europe tonight with concilia-
tory measures aimed apparently to
ease continental tension and lessen
anti-Nazi criticism.
A sudden meeting with Austria's
anti-Nazi Chancellor Kurt Won Schus-
chnigg was the most dramatic move
in a conciliation program that grad
ually took more definite shape to in
clude steps toward peace with both
Protestant and Catholic churches.
dispatches from Vienna told Of
reported decisions by Hitler and
schuschnigg for termination Of
Nazi agitation in Austria. reafirma-
ton by Hitler OF respect for Aus
trian independence and continue
uance Of negotiations, particularly
in the economic field, for better re-
lations)
tesgaden retreat for a conference 50
long complete consideration OF diff
cult Austro- German relations was in
dicated.
Secrecy Shrouds Meeting.
Secrecy hid details of the meeting
but Austrian government officials said
IN Vienna the basis of the conference
was the German treaty of
1886 guaranteeing the independence
of Germany's neighbor.
Both Germany and Italy have cast
longing eyes at tiny Austria. wedged
between the Nazi and Fascist powers,
50 that Vienna has earned the title
Of "Europe's uneasiest chancellery."
Hitlers alarm over the collapse OF
the Fascist-inclined Rumanian gov
ernment and the extremely unfriendly
world press reaction to his govern
mental shake-up were believed to have
paved the way for softening Of the
Reichsfuehrer's attitude.
Straws showing the trend included
attendance of Baron Konstantin Won
Neurath as Hitler's personal repre-
sentative at a Berlin mass celebrating
the 18th anniversary of the coronation
of Pope Plus.
Won Neurath is head of the newly
created Foreign Policy Advisory Coun-
Gil, formed in Hitlers government
shake-up.
Negotiate With Neimoeller.
In addition, significance was seen
in the fact ministry Of justice officials
began negotiations with the Rev. Mar
tin Niemoeller, chief of the Protestant
opposition, for reinstatement Of his
three attorneys in Rev. Mr.. Niemoel-
ler's trial on charges of REASONABLY
opposing the Nazi church program.
Rev. Mr.. Niemoeller dismissed his
attorneys when the trial was closed to
the public.
Informed diplomatic circles believed
Premier Mussolini's tentative negotia-
tions with Great Britain to settle the
Spanish question may have hastened
Hitler's decision to come to a better
understanding with Austria as we'll as
with the Vatican and German Prot
estants.
Other probable factors were the dis
appearance of Rumania's retiring
Premier Octavian Goga as a potential
theological ally and the fact Japan's
campaign in China has not gone as
well as Germans desire.
How great change in policy to-
ward Austria had been made was in
dicated by the fact the officially in
spired German press had attacked the
Austrian chancellor as recently as
January 7 for disparaging remarks
about Naziism.
Since then Austrian Nazi leaders
have been arrested in Vienna and
rumors of an Austrian Nazi putsch
have disturbed more than Central
Europe.
Broad Purpose Seen.
Some observers believed step big
ger than reaffirmation of Austro-
German friendship, which could be
(See PARLEY, Page A-4.)