Evening star., 1948-09-12
West Sector
OfGernnany
Doing Well
Allies May Abandon
Idea of Uniting
Two Zones
a., c:nr;1 ANA
By Siorid Arne

Germans III CllC Alllcl1CdL- oA1tioAi
zone are paying more of their own
bills than they did year ago. They
are actually making profit on the
manufactured goods they sell
abroad, although they're still in the
red on food.
German "ministers-president' OF
the IL states in Western Germany
have done we'll enough that the
western Allies plan to turn over
more of the governing job to the
Germans shortly (but with con-
tinued Allied control.
Some Illustrations
The long time official American
hope is to gst all of Germany-the
Russian zone as well-into unified
government. But now there is little
sentiment at the State Department
to toss its growing successes in Ger
many overheard just for the sake of
getting the Russian zone in.
The real test of German rebuild
ing is the money the Germans make
selling to other nations compared
with the money they spend and
the bills they run up in other ma
tions.
The best stories of what is hap
pening come out the American
British zone, where the United
States and Britain decided in early
l947 to pool their efforts. They
formed Joint Export t-Import
Agency to supervise what the Ger
mans bought abroad, what they
sold, where they hunted new mar
kets, the prices they charged.
The first half Of this year the
United States-British zones sold
1929 100000 worth of goods to II
different nations and territories.
In that time they spent S163,000,-
900 for the machines and raw mate
rials they needed to turn out the
goods.
interesting 0OlitI avis
On that operation German ex-
perts here feel it fair to say the
Germans are already selling at a
profit, three years after the war.
But they have to import much
food. That comes high: s459, ,0O0,-
900 the first half of this year.
So.- actually the two zones spent
1922 100000 and earned 1929, ,0O0,-
900 on their foreign accounts.
That means they earned roughly
40 per cent of what it takes them
to live and keep their factories
going. But that is double year
ago.
Some interesting contracts have
been written for German goods.
An American concern is buying
sl,5OO,O0O worth of German dyes
The Americans will furnish S475,-
600 for machines and raw materials
to get the job going. The Germans
will pay that bill when the dyes
are delivered. The Americans get
the dyes. The Germans make
about million profit. And they
have the machines to turn out
more dyes,
India will exchange goods with
Germany-but she would also like
German technicians for some jobs
in India. She would like to send
Indian nationals to Germany fol
industrial training.
Through every sale of German
goods or labor the driye is to get
for the JEIA account the foreign
money which the Germans need tC
buy abroad.
Can She Support Herself!
For example:
JEIA collects the. royalties paid a
German singer who makes records
for a Swiss concern. JEIA pays her
in German marks.
A German specialist from Weis-
baden is fitting glass eyes in a
Swiss hospital His pay of $50 a
day goes to JEIA, which deposits
marks to his home account.
A canary breeder gets JEIA
okay to import seeds for his birds
When the birds are old enough
they'll be flown to New York
dealer. He will pay JEIA in dol
lars and the German will get marks
JEIA insists that Germans charge
near the going world price for theil
goods. Germans who apply for ex.
port licenses must present at least
three world price quotations to gel
JEIAs okay.
The big question is: Can Ger.
many become self-supporting, ano
when?" At first 1t was hoped l94s
would turn the trick. Now experts
figure on 1851.
A Political Parallel
There Is parallel growth on the
political front
At London. in June, the Unitec
States, British and French govern.
ments agreed that it is time thu
Germans begin to run their owr
government under supervision.
They agreed to call a meeting O.
the German ministers president il
the near future, and give them tht
power to call constituent assem-
bly,. Delegates to the assembly viii
be elected from the II western
states.
The assembly will be asked II
write a constitution for German.
that will:
l. Allow all German states Il
subscribe as soon as circumstance
permit" That leaves the gate oper
for the Russian zone.
2. Set up federal form of gov.
ernment which will protect tn,
rights of individual states and tht
freedoms of tine individual.
II the draft constitution gets the
okay Of the Allied military COVER.
nors, 1t will go to the German peo.