Evening star., 1948-12-19
Imposse Over West Germany

Inability Of the top-ranking Western oc-
cupational authorities to agree on the
terms of statute for the projected West
German government reveals in its most
fundamental form the profound differ
ences which divide the three Western
Powers in their attitudes and policies re-
garding Germany's future.
This divergence in viewpoints has hither-
to. been publicized chiefly in disputes con-
corning the Ruhr, demolition of industrial
plants for reparations, and economic inte-
grafton of the Western zones But behind
those specific disputes there lies an even
more basic divergence on the nature Of
the political regime which is to be per-
mitted the Western Germans.
AS usual, the line Of cleavage runs be-
tween France and the English speaking
powers, America and Britain It is agreed
by all three that some sort Of regime must
be set up covering Western Germany And
the Germans themselves have been busy
for months at the Rhineland town of Bonn,
considering the draft of a constitution for
West Germany. That draft constitution,
however, must be subject to what is known
as an Occupation statute" drawn up by
the occupying powers, who would still ex-
ercise supervision and possess ultimate
authority. Until the German leaders know
what this statute is, their constitution
making labors are merely provisional ex-
preston Of their hopes and wishes, the
final decision resting with the occupational
authorities.
The Germans had been promised the
statute by mid-December. But when the
three Western Military Governors got to-
gether for its PRONUNCIATION, they found
themselves in such sharp disagreement
that the matter had to be referred to their
home governments, and the expectant
Germans were disappointed.
The core of the dispute concerns the
nature of the projected West German
government. America and Britain favor a
federation of the eleven regional states or
"Laender" which the Western Powers per-
mitted the Germans at the beginning of
the occupation. This federation, while
preserving the Laender and giving their
administrations considerable local prerog-
atives, would vest in the central govern
ment such organs Of authority as an
Executive, Legislature, Supreme Court
and the power Of taxation. Such federal
setup would in many respects follow our
own Federal pattern. And both we and the
British believe that only thus can West
Germany become at once viable and q
counterpoise to Russia's plan for setting
up German government in its Eastern
zone which would make bid for eventual
inclusion of all Germany.
To the Anglo-American concept, how
ever, France is stubbornly opposed. What
France wants is loose and weak confed-
Grafton, similar to that which existed in
Germany before its political unification in
1871. In this confederation, the states or
Laender would exercise the ultimate au-
thority, the central regime being little
more than a co-ordinator and reconciler
of state interests. In other words France
strenuously opposes any genuine revival
Of German political unity, provisional,
present or future.
To put the issue in German terms the
Anglo-Americans want a "Bundesstaat,"
whereas France wants a "Staatenbund"
AS for the Germans themselves, they are
unanimously against the French concept
Virtually all Germans want real central
government. Indeed, the Communists are
the most thoroughgoing centralists. And
unless the Western Powers can agree on a
federal form of government for West Ger
many, it is widely feared that the Commu-
nists will be handed a powerful weapon
for the spread Of their propaganda.