Preparatory to his meeting with the Fuehrer, the secret of which was well kept, Dr. von Schuschnigg had telephone conversations with Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini.
Political circles here declare that Herr Hitler had expressed a wish that Austro-German relations should be restored to the condition existing in pre-Nazi days.
It is understood that the Austrian Chancellor, while echoing this w insisted that Austria's independence should be respected by Germany.
The general impression in. well-informed diplomatic circles in Berlin is that the meeting is a positive step towards better Austro-German understanding, but that nothing in the notum of a fresh Austro-German agreement, nor an extension of the terms of the existing convention may be expected.
A further explanation of the meeting is sought in the supposed need of the Reich to produce something satisfactory in foreign affairs to offset recent disappointments, particularly the fall of the Goga Government la Rumania and to counteract rumours of trouble in Germany Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.