Show NATIONS ASKED INTO EUROPEAN TARIFf U N InN ON I Austria After Signing Treat Treaty With Germany Answers f p Protests VIENNA March 23 3 JP AtZa today answered d protests against her proposed customs customs' union with Ger Ocr Germany Germany many with an invitation to other European countries countries' to Join them inan inan in inan an abolition of customs barriers A formal protest by diplomatic representatives of France Italy Itay and I Czecho Slovakia drew from Dr Jo- Jo ha hann Schober foreign minister and vice ice chancellor the wont that thit Germany Germany Ger Ocr many and Austria had no intention of concluding any treaty which ex excluded excluded ex- ex the other powers On the contrary he lie said beth both have hare Invited jn any other European state state- all E European states to states to join the projected projected pro pro- customs union so a as gradually gradually ally to extend It ft to embrace all aM European European European Euro Euro- countries PLAN FLAN APPROVED He declared also that Austria AurIa felt more encouraged to tt embark embar on the customs arrangement with Germany since she was conscious that the plan pInn had the tile approval both of or Aristide Briand French foreign minister and author of an ambitious Pan Euro scheme and of at the league of nations The protest of the three countries against the c customs union project which they based upon an allega allegation on that the union would Impair and compromise Austria's independence inde irie- aroused considerable Itter bitter bitter bit bit- It- It ter feeling in this tills country The comment com ment was made that It had been logical log logi logi-I logi cal to hope that any honest effort to overcome the economic depression of European states no matter by whom Inaugurated would receive en en- en UNION NOMINAL NOl Official information of the contemplated contemplated contemplated con con- union took the Austrian commercial world entirely by surprise surprise sur sur- prise since German competition was an clement element greatly feared in Austria Fears have ha been somewhat allayed by information that existing duties s son on Austrian weak industrial products products products prod prod- will remain In force for man many years The union is described as only a nominal one designed to tt stimulate stimulate stimulate neighboring countries to embark embark em em- I em-I bark upon called so-called regional preferential preferential preferential prefer prefer- treaties Dr Schober's comment is that the plan is still only in project form re requiring requiring re- re quiring long negotiations because of which it is too early for outsiders to become alarmed or to protest He told the diplomats who vho visited him yesterday that the scheme would not I infringe upon the Geneva treat treaty ob obligations obligations ob- ob and that he hoped they I would recognize this kind and withdraw I their protests to a calm perusal of the project |