Evening star., 1945-05-13

ana general clVllan cOntrOl OrganlZas
tions which are mere expediencies, there
| is not a single definite thought in WASH
lngton and London on how to face the
| present situation. We are confronted
with the problem of not being able to
deal with Germany as unit but with a
number of small weak states each Of
which denies any responsibility for the
acts Of the Berlin government which has
completely disappeared
After the World War the Berlin revo-
luton which spread throughout the
Reich did away with the monarchy and
established a republic. 1t had a re-
| sponsible government created in ac-
cordance with all the rules of democracy,
Germany desired to remain as one unit
and dealt with the Allies on that basis.
Today Germany has been divided
into three large sectors. The western
areas are under American, British and
French military occupation. In the
east the U. S. S. r. exclusively controls
the wide area as far as the E1be River.
Some portions of that region such as
East Prussia, Pomerania and Silesia
have already been annexed either to the
U. S. S. r. or to Russian-sponsored
Poland. So far as that area is con-
cerned there is likely to be little trouble
about its administration and its future.
Russian-Backed Group Ready,
1t is probable that within the next
few weeks, the remaining portions of the
former Reich east of the Elbe will have
its own government which has been
kept in readiness in Moscow since the
summer of 1943 Today it is still called
the Free Germany Committee and Is
composed of officers such as Field Mar
shal Paulus, Gen. Won Seydlitz and a
number Of Communists such as Dr. Pick
Premier Stain, whose ideas about the
future of Europe seem to differ dras-
tically from those of his American and
British Allies, is expected to use this
outfit, which was his own creation, as
a temporary organization to give Ger
many a Legitimate" government. It
may even be confirmed through a pleb-
iscite. The Russian political men have
their own technique in handling pleb-
iscltes as has been demonstrated in
the case of the Baltic republics in 1910.
But there is nothing in the offing to
reorganize Germany west of the Rhine,
Regardless of how bitter the feeling
of all the Allies may be against the
nation which twice in Is years has
been guilty of causing a complete dis
aster in the world there is no question
that some kind of working plan must
be established to make the peoples be-
tween the Elbe and the Rhine get back
to work. 1t is in the interest of the
Allies themselves that this should hap
pen. Nature does not permit vacuums
and chaotic Germany will remain a
source of continual trouble in Europe
Under these circumstances the eyes
of the west are turned once more to
France and to Great Britain as a par
ent power.
Prussians Cause of Rift.
Bavaria, Wuerttemperg, Baden and the
Rhineland have been hostile to their
neighbors in the west only so long as
Prussia was the dominating power in
the Reich. The Prussian statesmen and
rulers felt that Germany could become
the dictator of Europe only if the
power of the French was crushed. The
war of 1870, followed by the war of
1914 and finally by the present war,
served that purpose. Hitler believed in
the summer of 1910 that he had full
filled the policies of the father of the
modern German Empire, Prince Otto
Won Bismarck. The Fuehrer hoped
about with JOY in the forest of Chan
tilly when the representatives of the
French republic signed the surrender
of France less than five years ago.
But now that the German Reich has
been utterly destroyed, these four re-
gions of Germany are said to be not
only willing but anxious to join any
western power in order to cooperate
politically and economically in the fu-
ture These four units of the Reich
may declare themselves independent
and ask, if so advised by the Allies, to
join France not as actual members of
the French nation but as collaborators
They would consider Paris as the center
from which they could expect to obtain
assistance and protection.
For the first time since the days of
Napoleon, France is becoming once
more formidable power in Europe She
has been so bled. however, that should
this seed which is in the minds of many
diplomats in Washington and London
be brought to fruition she will be a
power seeking peace rather than terri
torial and political expansion.
France Politically Weak.
The main difficulty in the way of &C
complishment of such an idea is the
political weakness of France.
In the proper sense of the word there
is no real leader in the country which
in the past has produced the greatest
statesmen of the world.
The present chaotic political and
economic condition can be only tempo
rary. Economically it will take only a
relatively small contribution by the
United States to bring about recovery.
There is plenty of food in that country
and more will be produced now that the
war is at an end and the millions of
prisoners and workers can be repatri-
ated. The French industries can be
brought back to life with the assistance
of America and Britain. We are already
sending thousands of locomotives to en-
able the French to start running their
railroad system. The bridges and the
lines which have been destroyed during
the war can be repaired, according to
expert engineers, in short time
The United States is prepared to give
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