The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1947-12-16

tOIS. euCh OF which is con-
trplled by one of the occupying
powers.
In the American zone, under
the sincere and able leadership
OF General Lucius D. Clay, the
attempt has been to teach the
Germans democracy NOW. The
method has been to place the re-
sponsibility for reconstruction
and rehabilitation on the Ger
mans themselves through a Ger
man government elected in free
elections, the officials being re-
sponsible to American military
government officers, whose func-
ton now has become more OF less
supervisory. In the British and
French zones, however, the new
German governments are not
granted a comparable response
bility, and in the Russian zone
the people are under strict con-
trols--all of which brings confu-
sion and doubt to the German
people generally, for with four
different governments, all oper-
ated on different basis, and
with all the complications of do
ing business between sectors of
Berlin and between the occupa-
ton zones, the average German
who has been accustomed to
order and discipline for cen.
turies-cannot see his way OUT
"A conversation with q German
Businessman. whose principal Of
fees are located in the Russian
sector of Berlin, with branch
in the American sector and a
subsidiary plant in Frankfurt, in
the American zone, may serve to
illustrate the difficulties in
volved.
This Berlin plant once supplied
printing machinery to all of Ger
many and most of central Europe.
The Frankfurt operation provid-
ed small parts and accessories.
During the battle for Berlin the
main plant was partially bomb
ed out, and when the Russians
came in they removed all the
machine tools they could find.
This reduced the Berlin plant to
low production, by the most
primitive methods, for necessary
machinery requires the most del
icate tolerances and careful ma
Ginning. After considerable pains
taking effort, with few suitable
tools, reconstruction of the plant
was begun in l945 and is now
nearly completed. But produc-
ton. WHICH once amounted to 4O
orr SOL machines per month has
been tedaeed to 10 or IL, for lacl,
of proper production equipment
ITO get German newspapers
back into operation" he said
''and of course if we are to re.
build we must have some means
of disseminating information
we must have printing machin.
cry.
But here in the Russian sector
of Berlin we are subject to Rus
sian controls on import of ma
terials and export of machine.
from and to other Berlin sec
tors and the four zones of occu
patton. Each occupying powel
has its own regulations and re
strictions in its own areas, 81
that trade between zones !!
hampered by a multitude o
forms which must be filled out
innumerable conferences to re
quest shipment, etc.
"In fact if I wish to visit tn,
Frankfurt plant, the difficultie
involved are enormous. An appli
cation to travel from Berlin t
Frankfurt, even by train, require
about three weeks to clear, AM
even then it may not be ap
proved"
We turned then to discussion
of government, and I propose,
this question: Surprising al
Germany were again one coun
try, and your people were aske
to choose what type OF govern
ment, they were to have. VIVA
would that choice be-"
He answered at once and EN-
phatically, Certainly not Boishe
.vism. We have seen enough Q
that--and it is no different frof
National Socialism (NazD. IN
proof lies in the Berlin ELECTION
some time ago-really free cleo
TONS. for they were supervise
by all four occupying powers