Out of the mass of rumour and speculation which has arisen out of. the conversation between Herr Hitler and-Dr. von Schuschnigg one- fact emerges—that there has been a reformation of the Chancellor's Cabinet, and that" the Nazis' have gained entrance into those-inner places of government which were formerly denied them. It is also rumoured that all this has been effected under the threat implied by the mobilization of German troops onthe Austrian frontier. It is denied that this is the case, and it is alleged that there have been only some routine troop movements. The extent of Herr Hitler's success is apparent when Dr. von Schuschnigg's declared policy is recalled. In his book "Dreimal Oesterreich" published in November of last year, he insisted that the settlement of the Austrian social question could be effected only within the framework of a corporative State. Austria was a German State, he declared, and he therefore rejected the idea of an alternative between two alleged antitheses: Central Europe or! Germany, the Danubian League or the Anschluss? What was needed was a Central European organiza-lion which included Germany, but that was not possible without an independent Austria. Austria had been the battlefield of conflicting German and Italian policies, and the ascendancy of the influence of either in that country aroused the bitterest jealousy of the other. The German-Italian struggle for paramountcy in Austria was for years one of the important features of European politics. A change came over the whole scene when Berlin and Rome joined in the Anti-
Comintern pact, and finding in the opposition to Communism common ground upon which to make mutual concessions it now appears that a portion of the price which Italy has to pay-is the acceptance of the growth of German Nazi influence in Austria at the expense of her own. Dr. von Schuschnigg was only able to maintain his country's complete independence so long as there was no community of interest between the two great Powers.
Speaking in Vienna on October 8, Dr. von Schuschnigg. said the Government was determined to- keep Austria out of all entanglements, and referring to the agreement with Germany of July, 1936, said, that just as it was clear that there was no sympathy. in Austria for Bolshevism, it was also clear that Austria would continue to fulfil her German mission of her own free will. Brave words indeed, but how do they read in face of the fact that, under pressure from Germany, Austria has effected a change in its Cabinet and included amongst the Ministers Nazi representatives whom it was part of Dr. von Schuschnigg's policy to exclude? That one Government could succeed in obliging another to do such a thing justifies the belief that the pressure brought to bear upon' the Austrian Chancellor was of the heaviest. Austria is not being allowed to fulfil her German mission of her own free will: she is being forced to take a certain line of action, and the concept of Herr Hitler is certainly of a Central European organization including Germany but not with an entirely independent Austria. The part that Italy has apparently played is interesting. In the interests of the Rome-Berlin axis, she has surrendered her influence in Austria to Germany, or at least has stood aside while Herr Hitler triumphed. She has permitted Herr Hitler to make an important advance with his policy of anschluss and though some Italian quarters claim that the changes show the Austrian Government's determination to preserve the independence of Austria and at the same time to allow scope for the natural development of Germanic feeling and activity inevitable in a country of Germanic stock, the contention merely makes the best of what, in view of former Italian policy in Central Europe, is at the least a. bad job.
At the present moment the only move made by both Great Britain and France is to ask Berlin and Vienna for information, and it is not believed that they will send a demarche until they are officially apprised of what has occurred. Once in possession of the necessary information London and Paris may find it necessary to send to both governments a reminder that the maintenance of Austrian independence is a matter of major interest to them. It is possible that when Herr Hitler addresses the Reichstag on Sunday next he will reaffirm the independence of Austria, and it is quite likely that the technical independence of that country will be insisted on, but it will be difficult to persuade either Whitehall or the Quai d'Orsay that Austria is not being rapidly drawn into the German fold, and that what has already taken place is not a preliminary to the ultimate absorption of Austria into some form of German commonwealth. On the other hand there is merit in the view that because Dr. von Schuschnigg has accepted the German demands, and made no complaint to either London or Paris, there is no need for Great Britain and France is probably the best method of dealing with the subject. If Austria is willing" te accept Herr" Hitler's dictation as to the policy she shall follow, and the inclusion of Nazis in her Cabinet, even if these things amount to a modification of Austrian independence, the fact that she does not complain should relieve the two-Powers-of-the responsibility of inter-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.