PARTY LEADERS SUPPORTED

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25380, 31 December 1947, Page 5

PARTY LEADERS SUPPORTED

GERMAN CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS

RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES CHALLENGED (N.Z.P.A.—Reuter—Copyright) ( Rec. 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 30. The Christian Democrats of Germany yesterday defied the Russian authorities by proclaiming their confidence in Mr Jakob Kaiser and Mr Ernst Lemmer, the leaders of the party in the eastern zone, whom the Russians are seeking to depose. Both refuse to join the so-called bloc front, which is in effect the Communist-dominated Socialist Unity Party. The Berlin correspondent of “The Times” says that the decision was unanimous and was reached after a two-day conference in Berlin attended by representatives of the movement in the west as well as the east. ‘‘Both Mr Kaiser and Mr Lemmer,” the correspondent adds, “have insisted since .the beginning of the crisis, and they did so again yesterday, that they had no wish to deepen the differences between the Western democracies and Russia, but they have at the same time taken their stand on a major issue, namely, the right of political parties to independence of thought and action. “By supporting their leaders, the Christian Democrats have thrown out a challenge. The Russian reply is with interest, but without anxiety.”