THE NEW EUROPE
THE REORGANIZATION OF EUROPE
difference that must be acknowledged by those who are opposed to British, French and Russian imperialism. It is an alliance of the artificial, non-national States against the growing power of the national striving of the small nations and of all nations in general; the Pangerman plan of "Central Europe" or "Berlin-Bagdad" is an effort to maintain the political principle of the Middle Ages — the principle of a conquering, absolutist State against the modern democratic principle of nationality.
The German-Austrian Pangermans conceive the reconstruction of Europe as the establishment of a World Empire on the old basis; the Allies, on the other hand, are working for the reconstruction of Europe on an entirely new basis. Europe, according to them, is to form a whole, arising organically from the federation of free and liberated nations; while the Central Powers strive for the domination of one nation — of the Germans — over the non-German nations in the zone of small nations, and hence over the whole of Europe and the world. It is the difference between Absolutism and Democracy, between Centralism and Federation. Briefly, the Pangermans strive to preserve and enlarge the idea of Austria — a centralized, absolutist, artificial State, in which the Germans, with the help of temporary favourites (such as, at present, the Magyars, Turks and Bulgarians), would maintain their political and economic supremacy. The plan of the Customs Union is an economic supplement to that of political imperialism.
It is clear that the Allies will weaken Pangerman Prussia most effectively by depriving Germany of Austria-Hungary. That can be achieved only by dismemberment. If Austria-Hungary should survive this war, even after losing the Italian and Roumanian territories, Pangermanism will not be eradicated. The Allies will be victorious only if Austria be reduced to a State consisting solely of her German provinces. It is a matter of secondary importance whether the seven million German-Austrians remain independent or join Germany.
The Pangermans themselves believe that the dismemberment of Austria-Hungary would be the most fatal blow to their hopes. Austria-Hungary, writes Winterstetten, would be replaced by Bohemia and Serbia. Germany would lose her Polish territory; in the West she would have to retire to the Rhine.
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