ADMINISTRATION OF GERMANY

Evening Star, Issue 25618, 19 October 1945, Page 6

ADMINISTRATION OF GERMANY

URGENT AGREEMENT NEEDED BERLIN, October 18. Agreement is urgently necessary on whether Germany is to be administered as an economic unit, as laid down at Potsdam, or to be divided into separate portions. A senior British officer on the Control Commission told correspondents that inflation confronted Germany, which is on the brink of economic chaos. The question of unity is now under discussion by the Governments of the four Powers. He refused to discuss the situation which might arise if France’s objections to the establishment of a central German Administration for transport and finance were not overcome, but he suggested this might be regarded as a test case for future relations between Britain, France, Russia, and America. He said a very satisfactory four-nations agreement was reached on the status of German trade unions, and a draft measure had been sent to the legal section of the control authority. Britain’s view was that ereity possible freedom should be given to trade unions. It was necessary at present to limit their powers to take decisions on wages and hours, but this limitation was designed solely to avoid inflation and would not. be continued longer than was necessary. He thought reparations would get moving very quickly now, and lie saw no reason why reparations, industrial disarmament, and the maintenance of a minimum level of existence in Germany could not be harmonised. Britain would, in spite of overcrowding, loyally play her part in accepting into her zone Germans who were evicted from the former eastern lands of Germany. This number might even run into million's and create great food and other difficulties for the administration.