STILL NAZIS

Evening Star, Issue 25770, 17 April 1946, Page 7

STILL NAZIS

PRCELEH OF BEBMAHY BRITAIN HAS HEAVIEST BURDEN RUSSIA'S POLICY MlfiHT COST ALLIES DEAJ? / (Rec. 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, April 16. The re-establishment of an over-cen-tralised Germany is incompatible with European Security," said Lord Vansittart in the House of Lords. A federal solution was not only in the interest of Europe, but of the German people. We must see that the future head of some central Government did not become a fuhrer, whether imperially or democratically disguised. Customs and nommunications should be among the few departments left to the Central Government. Nearly all others must he within the province of autonomous States. Defeat had not destroyed the lure of German nationalism. We must expect a wave of this when the first numbness had worn off. We were witnessing the first stags of a new attempt to build up another single totalitarian party or ideology. The Germans were still 75 per cent. Nazi at heart. He was afraid the Russian policy was inspired by over-confidence, • which might cost us all dear, even the Russians themselves. If the British Government bad a. policy most people did not know what it was. Lord Darwin agreed that an overcentralised Government would be easy prey for a dictatorship, but Geruiaiiy needed a central Government. Tha Potsdam Agreement was'a restrictionist economic agreement. We were proposing to make Germany a slum midst Europe. Britain had the heaviest bur-

den, and would have to pour in food for starving millions in the largest industrial area in Germany. It was obvious that the British Government had not approved of this agreement. We had got to carry the burden unless central control was instituted, under which the burden was shared. We should be doing a foolish thing if we tried to break up Germany and destroy her as an economic, even political, unit. Lord Jowitt said he had no hesitation in accepting on behalf of the Government, Lord Vansittart's resrJut:on that re-establishment of an over-ecu-tralised Germany was incompatible with European security. Lord Jowitt said: "We should be absolute fools if, after the experience of 1914-18 and from 1939 onwards, we again risk thu thing happening." He had questioned people in responsible positions in Germany whether the Germans, having learned of the terrible things which had been done by their leaders, felt a feeling of repentance and indignation. The answer wds always: "There is not the slightest trace of any such feeling."