Bonn Tension Eases

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31677, 13 May 1968, Page 13

Bonn Tension Eases

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright)

BONN, May 12. Tension had eased in Bonn early today as expected student violence failed to develop, according to Associated Press reports. Tens of thousands of raindampened young West German leftists demonstrated noisily, but without violence, on Saturday against the Government’s proposed emergency law—condemning it as “a step towards dictatorship.” Thousands of riot-ready reserve police, however, were kept on the alert, with barbedwire and police dogs sealing

the approaches to the Government and diplomatic district of Bonn.

Complaints were made from the German Student Socialist Federation—the group known for its Red flags, Viet Cong badges, and noisy chants of “Ho, ho, ho, Chi Minh”—that the demonstration bad not been “revolutionary” enough. The federation is blamed for rioting in several German cities over Easter in which scores were injured, and two persons died, after the shooting and wounding of its ideologist, Rudi Dutschke, in West Berlin. The emergency law which Chancellor Kiesinger’s coalition Government will present in Parliament on Wednesday was branded by other slogans as a modern equivalent of the 1933 Enabling Act, used by

Hitler’s Nazis to seize power. Some participants wore badges saying: “Never again 1933.” Mr Kiesinger and most leaders of his Christian Demo-cratic-Social Democratic Coalition Government had left Bonn fcr the week-end. After months of hard bargaining, the two coalition parties have drafted an emergency law which they contend will protect democracy by providing for orderly measures in case of national emergency. The draft law contains provisions allowing the armed forces to take over police and other civil duties, and providing for the drafting of men over 18 for civil defence in time of emergency. It would also allow the Government to tap telephones and read mail.