The Gisborne Herald. IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES." GISBORNE, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1948. BRITISH FRIENDSHIP WITH GERMANS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22657, 7 June 1948, Page 4

The Gisborne Herald. IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES." GISBORNE, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1948. BRITISH FRIENDSHIP WITH GERMANS

Tiie British order that from now on their occupation forces are to show friendship towards the Germans, their erstwhile enemies, will no doubt meet with criticism in Commonwealth countries with fresh memories of suffering at the hands of the Nazis. In three years hatred engendered by war is to cease and Nazi barbarities are to be forgotten. The conception of Germans as Huns is to be replaced by treatment of them as a “Christian, civilised people.” The British military governor, Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Robertson, in instructions to his forces says: “German interests converge closely on our own and wc no longer owe them any ill-will.”

What is the reason for this new approach which, on the face of it, appears to be astoundingly sudden? It is designed, first, to offset the effects of Russian statements and, secondly, to assist in the rehabilitation of Germany to end the drain on Britain’s all too slender resources. In the light of this knowledge it may, therefore, be regarded as a realistic move in circumstances in which there is probably no alternative.

Soviet Pledges Aid For Unified Germany

The issue in Germany today is economic prosperity versus military security. Despite Russia’s attitude of non-co-operation with the other Allies, Moscow says that Soviet policy is German unity requiring the formation of a single, democratic Government. This is a counter to the activities of the other Allies in Western Germany and, further, to assist in winning support, Moscow says there will be no more expropriations of property in the Soviet zone. There can be little else to expropriate. France wants a wholly decentralised Germany. The United States favours a federal constitution in which the Reich is weakened by giving as much authority as possible to the various German states and provinces. Britain and, to a lesser extent, the Benelux countries, however, consider that the complete decentralisation of Germany would meet with implacable resistance gnd is consequently unrealistic. Secondly, it, is believed, political decentralisation means also economic disunity.

Nor can agreement lie reached on the economic issue. 'Whereas Britain wants to end her commitments as soon as possible, France places emphasis on safety and says that everything must be sacrificed to making Germany politically helpless and incapable of aggression again. The Benelux countries are concerned with their own economic well-being, which depends upon a prosperous Germany. To this tangle of conflicting interests and opinions is added the United States view that the German industrialists should be helped in all reasonable ways to rebuild their businesses and to reduce Allied control over them to the minimum demanded by international security considerations. At the moment the economic issue is the more important of the two. Britain’s own economy makes it imperative that she be relieved of her share of the occupation expenses as soon as possible, otherwise recovery will be further delayed. It is ironical that Britain, at the peril of her own scale of rations, has had to send such a precious commodity as food to Germany.

Sufferers Asked To Take Long View

To the countless people who suffered directly and indirectly from German ambitions in two world wars, a change of heart is difficult, but with the Reich as the key to Europe they are being asked to take the long view, just as their aid is being solicited for children of men with whom the Allies were locked in deadly battle only a little over three years ago. Britain with her vast experience in international relationships is again found in the role of a mediator in Western Germany endeavouring to overcome differences in the economic outlook of the United States and France. Alert to Russian aspirations and manoeuvres in the east, she is planning in the west for a combination of defence, security and economic recovery. Put bluntly, if Russia has aggressive ambitions, German aid will lie needed by Western Europe to stem them, just as Japanese assistance may be valuable in the Far East. That aid will be measured by the amount of help Germany and Japan are given now and also the treatment they are accorded, for continued hostility is certain to cut deeply with adder! bitterness the result.. An “easy” pence, it seems, is being worked out for Japan, and there are increasing indications that the same principle is ,to be applied to Germany.