| Show f HITLER MEETS SECRETLY WITH AUSTRIA CHIEF Mussolini's Influence Seen in Parley in Germany any VIENNA Feb 12 AP AP- AP Chancellor Kurt of ofA ofA A Austria u s t r ria i a met Adolf Hitler of ot Germany for a secret conference today at the urgent suggestion of Premier Benito Mussolini of Italy The Austrian cabinet sat in continuous session as conferred with Hitler at the German German German Ger Ger- man fuehrer's mountain retreat at Berchtesgaden Austria troublesome crossroads of Europe has long been a sore point in otherwise cordial relations between between between be be- tween Germany and Italy The great majority of Austrians are speaking German-speaking and union between between between be be- tween the two nations has been one of the main desires of the nazi party and Hitler himself a native of Austria j i The last time union between Germany Germ Germany Ger Ger- m many n and Austria Austri was threatened shortly after Hitler came to power power Italy mobilized her army on the Austrian border in implied warnIng warning warning warn warn- ing to Germany to keep hands off Fascists Join Forces Since then the two fascist states have joined forces in the Rome- Rome Berlin axis Italy has been reported reported reported re re- re- re ported to have given Germany a afree afree afree free hand in Austria in exchange for a sphere of influence in the Balkans aid in developing conquered conquered conquered con con- Ethiopia and support for fascist policy in the Spanish civil war Franz von recalled as ambassador ambassador ambassador am am- to Vienna in Hitler's drastic drastic drastic dras dras- tic governmental shakeup a week ago also was at Berchtesgaden in Hitler's beloved Bavaria presumably presumably presumably ably participating in the confer confer- The meeting was arranged with greatest secrecy left Vienna ostensibly for Innsbruck but entered Germany from Salzburg It was stated here that Hitler had several times urged nigg to make a personal call and the Austrian chancellor yesterday decided to accept after being urged to do so by Mussolini Outlook Improved ed Only sketchy reports of the meeting meeting meeting meet meet- ing reached Vienna but one message message message mes mes- sage purporting to come directly from said the outlook for improved relations between Austria and Germany was extremely good One report current in Vienna was that the Austrian cabinet may be reconstructed shortly to make places for several ministers sympathetic to Germany Hitler was said to have urged I to bring Austria more closely into line with the Rome- Rome Berlin BerUn axis that links Germany and Italy Austria's two powerful neigh neigh- bors Official circles said the Austrian chancellor was vas seeking to strengthen strength strength- en and extend the friendship pact pack between the states signed Jl July ly 7 1936 Documents Offered was reported to have taken with him bulky police documents documents documents docu docu- ments showing the character of recent recent recent re re- re- re cent illegal nazi activities in AustrIa Austria Austria Aus Aus- tria activities which Germany agreed to curb under the friendship act A dispatch from Berlin yesterday said Von had drawn Hitler's attention to the present wave of arrests of Austrian nazis by the government aJ and atad d to have asked that he be returned to the Vienna post to resume negotiations negotiations for improved German Austro-German relations Von was was said to have told Hitler the sending of an ardent nazi partisan as the new ambassador dor might increase German anti-German sentiment there Wont Won't ont Be Annex last general statement statement statement state state- ment on Austrian foreign policy was made in a a year end interview in which reiterated he-reiterated he his determination tion to block any effort to make makel Austria a near annex to a neighbor The chancellor pointed his remark by adding that this determination was supported fully by other countries coun coun- tries tries such such as Italy |
