THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for Transmission through the Post as a Newspaper. TUESDAY AUGUST 16, 1949. Western Germany's Federal Election

Northern Advocate, 16 August 1949, Page 4

THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for Transmission through the Post as a Newspaper. TUESDAY AUGUST 16, 1949. Western Germany's Federal Election

During the week-end the people of Western Germany, for the first time since 1933, held a free general election. when they chose a Parliament of the new W.est German Federal Republic.

Out of 400 candidates representative of all parties, the people elected 139 Christian Democrats and 131 Social Democrats.

As these parties are distinctly representative of the Right, it is expected that a Right Wing Coalition Government will be formed.

The result of the election indicates plainly that Western Germany does not want a Communist Government, the party winning only-15 seats, but in the light of declarations made

during the election' campaign it would appear that the Nazi spirit is still very much alive among the Rights, a fact which must make the Allies, especially Britain, regard Western Germany's expression of political opinion as not so satisfactory as they would wish. However, it is too early to say what effect the accession to respon-

sibility will exercise upon some elected leaders, whose anti-British attitude during the election campaign was regarded as base ingratitude.

The Communist leader, Max Reimann, was heavily defeated, which indicates’ that the Germans did not agree with his election propaganda that ‘ the Soviet Union is the best friend of the Germans in their struggle for unity, independence find peace.”

Of -the four principal organised parties contesting the election, the Social Democrats proposed the introduction of a state-controlled economy on the pattern of that introduced in Britain by the Labour Government

The Christian Democrats opposed nationalisation of industry and Government controls and favoured denominational education. The Free Democrats (who won 52 seats) may be regarded as occupying a position analogous to that of the Liberal Party in Britain. The Communists, of course, were at the opposite Pole to the Rights, and, as their leader suggested, looked to the East rather than the West for the emancipation of Germany.

The new Parliament will be subject to the Occupying Authority in Germany so far as external .affairs and defence are concerned, but its opportunity to restore the principles of Nazism will nevertheless be far from insignificant, for its obligations will be to develop internal selfgovernment, speed-up economic recovery and relieve the Allied authorities of many of their administra-

(j tive problems. The manner in which the new Parliament handles the big task it must undertake will demonstrate whether Western Germany, with a population of more than 25,000,000

people, is ready to range itself alongside Europe’s democratic peoples and assist them to promote the international cooperation and

concord so urgently needed. The choice made by the German electors gives interest to an expressed opinion that Allied policy towards Western Germany is a good

deal cleaier today than it has been at any time since the surrender, despite the denunciatory tone of some German leaders during the election campaign. Though clarity may be greater, it is agreed that there are some disquieting features about Allied policy which must not be overlooked, for, as the Round Table says in its latest issue, the decisions taken have been reached as the rpsult of compromises, and it is impossible to conceal the fundamental divergencies that still exist. At the one extreme, it says, stand the French, who can think of Germany only in terms of security, a statement which creates interest in the face of Dr Ad enauers election declaration that "Britain, not France, is the virtual opponent of Germany.” At the other extreme is the American attitude, the emphasis of which is almost entirely economic, the United States being vitaljy concerned with the success of the Marshall Plan. Somewhere between these two lies the British view, which has few distinctive features of its own; federation is accepted but without enthusiasm, while opposition to any material reduction in the dismantling programme is interpreted in many quarters as fear of future German competition. The Germans are well aware of these differences of opinion between the Allies, and the economic recovery of the last 12 months has given them a renewed hope in their own future.

What is needed today, in the opinion of tfie Round Table, is a single policy adopted without reservations, whiefi takes due account of ihe justifiable claims both of the occupying powers and of Germany. No permanent settlement oT the German problem is possible unless it is so framed as to tie Germany to Western Union atifi, at the same time, satisfy the other members of Western Union that Germany is no longer a threat to peace.

Will the new' parliamentary machine given to Western Germany enable this to be done? Only- time can tell.