Evening star., 1947-03-02
By Boris ISakop

ceHCraIlOnS.
(Under this law, all German
industries with 10000 employees
OF more are banned outright.
Combines In restraint of trade
are outlawed. German participa-
tion in international and domes-
tic cartels is expressly forbidden.
cThe Russians for their part,
far from decartelizing in their
zone, have grouped German in
dustries into monstrous state
owned trusts which they control
directly.
military government officials
say there are very few large
landed estates in the American
zone. Most of them are con-
centrated in the Prussian and
eastern zones, both under Soviet
control)
Reparations Claims.
The obvious violation of the Pots
dam agreement is accompanied by
vociferous appeals for mercy to the
Germans. We hear loud wailings
over the reparations claims of the
Soviet Union, which amount to $l0,.
600, 100000. These claims represent
but small portion-less than 10
per cent-of the damage Hitlers
armies did to the Soviet Union.
Yet they insist that it would be
too big burden on Germany to
pay $4,000. 100000 in reparations.
(Actually. no official figure has
been fixed yet by the Big -Four.
The only American objection
voiced thus far is that the
Soviets cannot expect American
taxpayers to pay Germany's
reparations II the U. S. S. r.
blocks Germany's functioning as
an economic unit--as called for
by Potsdam-so that the Ger
mans can pay their own way.
(Mr. Pauley estimates that the
land IN Eastern Germany ceded
to the U. S. S. r. under Potsdam
alone is worth more than $10,-
0oo, 100000. In addition, the Rus
slams have, removed scores Of
industries from their zone into
Russia. No value has been placed
on these removals; but in the
case of similar Soviet stripping
in Manchuria, the damage Is
estimated at more than $2,000,-
000.0O0)
Charges Hypocracy.
In the opinion Of the man In
the street in the Soviet Union,
such Germany-can't-pay talk is
sheer hypocrisy. we have grounds
to believe that the reparations
which the United States and Great
Britain have already collected in
the western zones Of Germany
greatly exceed $4,000, 100000. This
includes the German gold in their
hands, the patents and inventions
they have seized, German assets
and investments abroad which they
have conf1scated, the German mer-
chant marine which they have
taken over, the deliveries from cur
rent production. Why, then, do
they appeal to the Soviet Union to
show "magnanimity''?
(The German merchant marine
was divided three wayS-the big
gest third going to Russia. The
German assets and the gold
looted by the Nazis now in U. s.
possession totals about $3.50 ,000,-
600. But this is held for resti-
tuition to the rightful owners, not
as reparations. Patents and in
ventions have been printed at
cost oy the U. S. and made
available to our Soviet and Brit
ish Allies alike. The Soviets, on
the other hand, have refused to
exchange patents and inventions
seized in their zone.)
The fact of the matter is that the
ruling element in the United States
and Great Britain has changed its
attitude to the Potsdam decisions
for reasons entirely different from
those advanced in official state
ments.
Dulles Speech Recalled.
The point is not that certain in
dividuals have suddenly come to
think that these decisions impose
too heavy a burden on Germany.
AL that we know of the German
problem and Germany's possibilities
today was known at the time of
the Potsdam Conference, too.
But at the time Of Potsdam the
Americans and the British repre-
sentatives proceeded from the fact
that Germany had been the enemy
in the war and the Soviet Union an
Ally. One wonders whether there
is a tendency today to forget this
fact. Take the speech Of John
Foster Dulles at a meeting of the
National Publishers Association on
January II. That was an unmis-
taxable appeal to bolster up Ger
many to combat Soviet com.
munism."
(The United States has been
trying to rer1ind Russian leaders
for long time that Germany Is
to be treated as an enemy, not as
potential Soviet ally.
(Our official policy was laid
down by Secretary Byrnes:. I'VE
will oppose harsh and vengeful
measures which obstruct an ef-
fective peace. We will oppose soft
measures which defeat making of
peace.")
In the days of the war the Amer.
ican people saw who were their real
enemies and who their true friends.
It would be well to remember this
today, when the foundations Of q