GERMANS' ECONOMIC WAR.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 5854, 29 September 1917, Page 3

GERMANS' ECONOMIC WAR.

CONFERENCE AT VIENNA A BIG CARGO FLEET.

Considerable iimportan«ei was attached to the conference of representatives of Germany. AustriaHungary, Bulgaria, and TQurkey which began on August 10th at Vienna for the preparation of an econom c agreement (states a mesage from The Hague to the New York Times). Germany lias been protest :ig vigorously against what she cabs the wicked marly nations of the Entente fo r countering economic discr imi iia t. i-oii is, such as were practiced in tti<> past, hut m the meantimes with her usual iforeslightedlnegs, she has been preparing fer-roacliing protectioilist plains. Getrfany’s idea is to create a sOi d economic union with Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey, which would mean absolute Gennadi damin on over all the natural resources m thus" farstretching regions, and would free Germany for a State-aided attack oil tlu> world markets. An enormous scheme for the reconstruct on of the German mercantile fleet at a cost of many millions of dollars is sufficient ind cation that hig ideals are contemplated. Doubtless, too, Germany s beginning to fear the ooinpct noii of Anieiva in merchant fleet after the war. The greatest stress lias been la d on the reconstriict:«n off the fleet. Large subsd os are to be granted, graduated according to the rapidity of th , completion of the vessels a ter the war. Undoubtedly thy, character of the economic conference at Vienna lias been modified since America's entrance on the scene. Germany is meet anxious to discover what, it any, economic agreements the Entente and America have mad**.

The Hiambu rg-to-Bagdad scheme, which is nearing completion, is an economic agreement with Austr aHungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey, with Germany in chief command as economically the strongest. Germany's other soheane is the solidarity of European interests, with the uTFuilat,. ItoiH* of including all Continental Europe against Grcat Brita n and tile United StattA. Mwanwhkle the question off annexation is oaioe more in the foreground, and tli“ pain-Germans are aga iti cm the warpath for an annexationist offensive and are fighting the majority peace resolutions. Revontlow, i'll the Tageszeitung on' 11th August. openly assorts that Germany does not 'intend to abandon ail idea of the part al annexation <»f Belgium. Tin* Kolnusaho VoTkszditung considers that any unofficial expression of pen<\> terms should be forh dden. Meanwhile the Hot Volk i n isos the question whether the majority Socialists have abandoned all impel*.aliisflic aims. It is dvident that the Radical T'ageblntt and the Socialist Vorwarts are suspActous of the Cabinet, so fa' l as Belgium is concerned. It (must) be remembered that the majority row<tutHot»s agjii'inst- clvlen were definitely aco**pted by the Michael is Cabinet. Til*" Vienna Arboitor Zeitung asserts that the military, not cvil.ans, will finally nettle tig, question of annexation atud tlie like. Vorwarts objects to MichacSiw lieiiing matlt,, a) colonel, as it indicates a, strong military prestige still existing.