CUT-OFF OPPOSED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22011, 3 May 1946, Page 3

CUT-OFF OPPOSED

RUHR & RHINELAND FUTURE OF GERMANY MR. NASH’S ATTITUDE (Special Correspondent.) (10.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 2. When the Dominion Ministers discussed Germany's future, Mr. W. Nash is understood to have expressed the opinion that the division of the Ruhr and Rhineland from other parts of Germany appeared impracticable. He felt strongly that the views of France, who has suffered so much during the last 50 years from Germany, should be given full weight before decisions, positive or negative, were made. There was unanimity, said the Government spokesman, on the principles for dealing with Germany. They are: (1) Measures to prevent the rebirth of militarism. (2) To develop Germany economically as part of‘Europe. (3)' Measures to encourage the growth of democratic institutions. The Ministers felt that the problem should be approached in relation to the whole of Germany and not simply the Ruhr and Rhineland, but they felt hampered by insufficient evidence about what was likely to happen in Eastern Germany and what was happening in the Russian zone. Political Break-up Feared There was general opposition by the Dominions to the French proposals for the political separation of the Ruhr and Rhineland from Germany. The Dominion Ministers feared that such a political break-up would tend to Balkanise Germany, create serious economic difficulties and new movements from which Nazism might spring afresh. Alternatively, the Ministers took the view that, on general principles. the best approach to the problem lay along the development of some public corporation controlling the Ruhr industries, developing them economically according to stipulations laid down by the peace treaty for the economic benefit of Europe as a whole, including Germany. The Ministers considered the alternatives of an international directorate for such a corporation or an administration responsible, possibly to a new German provincial Government for the Ruhr. Corporation Favoured The general feeling among the Dominions favoured a corporation established under German administrators, subject to a provincial government which would be supervised for the time being by -Britain as a zone, the Powers to ensure that industries were being used for the proper purpose. “Germany cannot live without a centralised Government consisting of representatives of all four anti-Fascist parties and trade unions. We want the Rhine and Ruhr to remain German because we cannot exist without this important territory,” said ex-Com-munist and joint leader of Germany’s new Socialist Unity Party, Wilhelm Pieck. addressing a May Day meeting. “We are demonstrating to-day for bread, peace and liberty. The unity of the working classes will give strength for the reconstruction of our destroyed economy and allow the creation of new, democratic and peaceful Germany. The other joint leader of the Socialist Unity Party, Grotewohl. stressed the desire to attain democratic aims peacefully. “If ever Germany’s new freedom must be defended by force, it will not be our fault,” he added.

The Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent says the Dominion Ministers’ attitude cuts right across the recent four-Power agreement on German industry, aiming at a reduction to about 50 or 55 per cent of the 1938 level. Britain entered strong reservations in accepting this plan which threatened to create a serious unemployment problem in the British zone. French Interests Recognised

Britain fully recognises the interests of France in any question relating to the Ruhr and Rhineland, the Minister of State, Mr. Noel-Baker, told the House of Commons. He declared that Britain was fully seized of the importance of this question. He was answering a question whether the Government was taking all possible steps to delimit the boundaries of Germany, especially regarding the internationalisation of the Rhur and Rhineland and whether Britain was co-oper-ating with France. Mr. Noel-Baker said it was agreed at the Berlin conference that the western frontier of Poland should be determined by the peace settlement and certain territories of East Prussia should be administered by Russia and also the former German territories east of Oder and the western Niesse would be under Polish administration. He, in view of the present discussions in Paris, could make no statement regarding the other frontiers of Germany.