PAN-GERMANISM FAILS

The results of the recent elections in Austria, so tensely watched by the rest of Europe, have finally been announced, much to the satisfaction of the Entente. For the Austrians, led by most of their daily journals, have shaken off the spell of Prussian mesmerism and dealt a decided blow to the hopes of an Austro-German State . . . hopes which were not merely fictional, but were worked out on an absolute plan with characteristic German efficiency. Pan-Germanism is the name for this idea which would unite Austria and Germany into one; it has its leaders and thinkers, who were running for Austrian offices in the elections; and they made it clear that, once elected they would proceed to put their idea into operation. They asked the support of the Austrians' votes on that basis.

Thus the question of Pan-Germanism, while not submitted to an official plebiscite, was, nevertheless, practically decided so far as Austria is concerned; the Pan-German leaders failed to gain a foothold in the elections. Had they won, they would have taken their victory as carte blanche approval of the Austrian people. But they have lost, and so decisively as to render any official action on the question--even of a plebiscite--unnecessary and highly improbable.

It may be that Austria has tired of German domination and Prussian promises; it may be that she sees more good to be gained through a Little Entente alliance with France, the value of whose friendship has been demonstrated in the reenforcement of the Polish Army and in the financing of the Hungarian railways; but whatever the reason for her actions, she has at least freed Europe of the anxiety of seeing two large countries merge into one domineering state, and has gone a long way toward treeing herself from the deadly influence of Pan-Germanism.