The Hawera Star. FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 1928. AUSTRIA AND GERMANY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 10 August 1928, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 1928. AUSTRIA AND GERMANY.

Delivered every evening: by 5 o'clock in Hawera Manair.. Normanby. Okaiawa. Eliham, Mangatoki. Kaponga. Alton, w.irlcy villa Patea. Waverlev. Mo_oia, Wbakamara. Ohangai, Meremere. Frasei Hoad. and Arsrata

The nations of Europe, iliavc passed .through .troublous times since the close of the Great War, and probably the fact is forgotten, that before the last of the Bapsbiuaig’si had abdicated the throne of Austria the, German members of the former Austrian Parliament had determined f'o declare the German portions of the old kingdom an independent State- They made rapid progress, but the revolution which broke out in Vienna upset their plans and precipitated the declaration of an independent German-Austrian Republic in November, 3918. The first Article of the law then promulgated Was to the effect that 11 German-Austria! is a democratic republic,” and the Second, “ G ermanAustria is ai component part of the Gei.man Republic. ’ ’ This hasty attempt to include the old Austrian kingdom in the mow German Republic probably was the undoing of the movement, for in the Treaty jof Versailles there, is a short Article ,ref erring to, Austria which sets out that “Germany acknowledges and will respect strictly the independence of Austria; She agrees that .this independence shall be inalienable, except with the consent of the Council of the Loigioc of Nations.” When the time came for determining ibcnnus of peace with Austria, the same provisions were inserted in the Treaty of St. Germain. The name of Genmau-Austriain Republic, adopted by the temporary Assembly in Vienna, was vetoed. The mew republic was to be called the Republic of Austria 1 , and, with the assistance of the Teague of Nations, especially in the matter of finance, the country has passed safely .through critical times. Rut the agitation for union until Germany has never really ceased. In the Tyrol amid Upper Austria the German rl'efmeut in the population is very large; and their loaders have persistently demanded that, for both racial and economic reasons,' Austria should seek admission to the Gdrman Republic. It is contended that the remnant of territory ■left to Austria after the war made economic ability am impossibility, and Italian pressure on the southern border •has also been turned to account by those who seek to unite the two countries. No opportunity is allowed to paisis that can be made to serve this purpose. The latest was arranged in connection with the. celebrations of the Schubert centenary in Vienna, and the German, papers have shown that the desire for union is by no means confined to the citizen Is of some of the Austrian provinces. But., of course, it is not simply a. matter of agreement. Germany is pledged to observe Austrian frontiers aind Austrian independence, unless she, can win the consent of the Council of the League of Nations. The opposition of the French would be certain, and the Covenant, by stipulating that decisions of the Council must be unanimous, has practically given France the power to veto any such movement. It would be a most remarkable development if the peoples of adjoining countries, desirous of uniting, were prevented from doing so by a. third party. It is, of course, difficult to gauge the exact position,. French writers contend that the movement for union is much more appalromt than coal, and that the economic restoration -of Austria! has been effected on sound lines. They see in the proposal a: realignment of European boundaries that would bring a strong Germany right to the. Italian frontier, thus threatening Fremcli communications with her allies of the Little Entente. If the agitation is merely agitation, then time will kill it, but if it is based upon strong racial and national desires, then we must expect to hear much more about AustroGerman union.