Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-12-23
Communists in Reich
Certain Of Position
Despite U. 5. Gain
BY HOMER STRICKLER

BERLIN, Dec. 22.-It is increas-
ingly clear that the Russians and
officials of the German Communist
party are becoming more certain of
their ability to fill the political
vacuum left in the Reich by the
collapse of the NaZis. The latest
evidence is the four-power agree
ment of the Berlin kommandatur in
connection with the thorny problem
of trade union elections.
The agreement is being hailed as
a victory for American principles,
and rightly so. The Russians hold
that organization should be from
the top down. The Americans, with
British support, adhere to the demo-
cratic principle of organization from
the bottom upward. The French
look with jaundiced eye on anything
cutting across zonal boundaries.
The American principle prevailed
and with the Russians accepting the
proposal for shop elections of cleo
tors and electoral votes for delegates,
who in turn elect the central COM
mittee for Berlin-in other words,
from the bottom up.
Policies Differ
This is a fundamental difference
between Soviet and American prin-
ciples. In their own occupation zone
outside Berlin the Russians practice
the prncple of organization from the
top in which the trade union leaders
are responsible for the nomination
of candidates and the conduct of
elections. The Russians practiced
this pricniple in Berlin until now.
By the terms of the new agreement,
previous elections are wiped out
and the whole trade union program
in Berlin starts from scratch. Under
the new agreement. the rank-and-
file members. nominate candidates
thus starting the cityWide organiza-
ton at the bottom.
1t is an important gain because
although it only applies to the four
sectors of Berlin, it may set the
pattern for elections on nation
wide basis. 1t is held up as test of
the democratic processes as con-
ceived by the western powers. The
question now arises why the Rus
slams finally agreed to elections on
a principle so vastly different from
their own.
American spokesman for the kom-
mandatur regard this new agree
ment as the beginning of a bright
new era of cooperation among the
four powers. They see it as elimin-
ating the misunderstanding which
divided the four powers in the
realms of theory before the problem
was pinned down to specific points
Of procedures. They say that once it
was pinned down all four found
that their fears and mistrust were
without foundation.
Russians Confident.
They may be right, but at least a
few observers here go further in
their explanation of the Russian
shift. These observers see Russia
convened that it can give cards
and spades and still come out on
top. In other words. the Russians
are certain of final results regard
less of the method employed or the
principle involved.
There is much to support this
opinion. In the first place, the
Communists are the only ones with
"a positive and unified policy in
Germany. In advance they have
unanimity, where the Western
Allies at all levels are beset by diff
ferences of opinion on policy, and
in principles and methods. The
Communists, in other words, to all
outward appearances, present solid
front attractive to the Germans in
their present rudderless plight.
The vigor of the German Com
munist party touches closely the
Germans at every turn. The
brightest sight in any ruined Ger
man city is the brilliant red facade
of Communist party headquarters
The Communist party is not at all
modest in its reconstruction efforts
either, putting up such signs as the
one in Frankfurt: THE Communist
party is building here" For Ger
mans drifting in the political dol
drums such legends can have a
double meaning. 1t is only toS
obvious that the Communists are
building here and building well.
The present efforts of the Ger
man Communists seem aimed pri-
marily at education and indoctrina-