Evening star., 1948-01-11
France 5. Objections
Nav Block Unification
OF Western Germany
By John N. Hiehtower
Assoeioted Press Stoff Writer

French objections to the latest
British American decisions on ad-
ministering the Anglo-American
zones of Germany may hamper ef-
forts of the Western powers to con-
solidate all of Western Germany
into single economic and polit-
lcal unit.
Evidence of French disapproval OF
the new Anglo American move to
set up a German administration
over the merged British-U United
States zones, apparently without
consulting the French, developed
rapidly yesterday in Paris, London
and Washington.
French Ambassador Henri Bon
net is expected to register his gov
ernment's protest with the State
Department early this week.
France Not Consulted.
In London, a foreign Office spokes-
man disclosed that Ambassador
Rene Massigli already had called on
Foreign Minister Bevin and ex-
pressed concern that France was
not consulted about the British
American decisions.
In Paris, Foreign Ministry OFF,
cials reported that the Ambassadors
at both London and Washington
already had expressed French ap-
prenhension at the formation OF the
economic regime.
French diplomatic informants here
said that following the breakdown
of the London Foreign Ministers
Conference which sought a four
power agreement on Germany, the
French had understood that talks
would be held in Berlin between
their officials and the American
commander, Gen. Lucius D. Clay
and the British zonal chief, Gen.
Sir Brian Robertson.
The obvious implication, French
officials here contended, was that
pending such talks the United States
and Britain would stave of any two
way decision on what they wanted
to do in western Germany.
Loose Organization Favored.
In the second place, the French
here criticized the British and Amer
leans for what the French consider
a tendency to centralize political
power at the top rather than to seek
its development in party structures
and state organizations from the
bottom up. The French favor a very
loosely organized German nation.
After the breakup of the London
conference the general impression
given out by officials was that the
next step would be the consolidation
of western Germany through joint
action of the United States, Britain
and France. The failure at London
meant that the unification Of all
Germany with the cooperation OF
Russia would be for considerable
time impossible. But what happens
In western Germany depends more
on the attitude of the French and
the willingness of the French people
to support a merger than 1t does on
the attitude of the British and
American governments, whose pol
icies In favor of unification are al
ready established.
Deny French Rights FlOuted.
American authorities contend
they have not fouted French
rights in Germany in connection
with the bi-zonal talks with Britain
They make these points:
1. That the only three-power talks
for which there were commitments
at the end of the London confer
ence were talks aimed primarily at
the reduction OF zonal trade bar
riers, rather than the merger OF
the French zone with the British
and American zones.
2. That until the French are part
of a unified three-power set up
in Germany they can have no re-
sponsibilities and therefore no voice
in determining what happens in a
wo-power set up.
8. That Ambassador Robert Muir
ply, American political adviser at
Berlin, had fully informed the
French political adviser Of the de-
cision reached by the British and
Americans at Frankfurt and, ac-
cording to the understanding here,
had assured him of an opportunity
- -