Evening star., 1949-12-03

As Victim in Struggle
Between U. s., Russia
DismontIins Of Industry
Roises More Opposition
Thon Demilitorizotion
By Dorothy Thompson
In agreeing to accept the de-
militarization Of Germany. Chan
cellor Adenauer will probably find
less popular opposition than in &C
cepting the Ruhr statute. The
dismantling Of German industry
has caused much more German
opposition that the demobilizine
of the army. A recent poll showed
go per cent of Germans inter-
viewed to be against remilitari-
Zation.
This attitude is due to the Ger
mans estimate of his country's
position. He fears Germany be-
coming a cause of war between
Russia and America, and a victim
of their struggle. Although he
wants to be accepted as a Eu-
ropean, he fears being used to
provoke the Russians. In a trip
this year through all three West
ern zones I did not meet one
single German who believed that
the German situation could be
improved or redressed by war.
What Germans Would Like.
What the Germans would like is
a position of political union with
the West and military neutraliza-
ton. This apparently is what the
Western Allies also are trying to
achieve. It is. of course. ironical.
The disarming of a nation does
not solve, but opens. the question
Of how and by whom it will be
defended. The Russians are Of
fering to defend Germany against
the West: the Western Allies are
compelled to defend Germany
against Russia. Never. in fact, was
q defeated enemy so solicitously
(but disastrously) defended all
around!
The question of whether an
unarmed Germany could be sue
cessfully defended by the rest of
Europe In case Of a Russian at
tack lis not even dubious. It is
dubious whether any part of
Europe could be defended. But
the Russians may not care to
commit q direct act of aggres-
sion, which would shatter inter-
national Communist ranks, and
involve the Soviet Union in war
with the United States. The
Soviet Union Qike the United
States always wants to appear
as the victim. not the aggressor,
even if the Russians believe war
to be inevitable and are prepared
to precipitate it.
Were Germany to be seriously
rearmed by the Western Allies,
the Russians would almost GER
tainly consider 1t as justifying
interference in "self defense" T"
despite the fact that the Russians
are, themselves. rearming East
ern Germany for limited purposes.
Two dangers face Europe. The
first is that Russia will decide on
open aggression. The second
Sand more likely is that the Rus
slams will attempt further con-
quest by internal disintegration.
via Germany. The steps would
be: Formation OF German
Communist army. too weak to
menace Russia but strong enough
to overcome an unarmed West
ern Germany; evacuation OF
Germany by Russian troops to
force Western military withdraw
ais; and creation by force OF a
German peoples democracy on
the pattern successful elsewhere.
Should this succeed all Europe
would be lost.
Presented Alternatives.
J.. zServan-Schreiber, a keen
analyst. recently presented these
alternatives In the Paris paper,
LIE Monde. He inquired what
value the Atlantic Pact would be
in either eventuality. He argued
that in case of direct aggression
the first blows would be aimed
directly at. America, for If Amer
lea were para1yzed, even tempo
rarily, Europe would fall.
Against the second danger, II
the Soviet maneuver developed
smoothly, America would have no
chance to intervene-or If atomic
war were launched Europe would
be smashed before it could be
saved"
1t is, says M. Servan-Schreiber,
q localized European threat which
should be met "by an international
Western European army created
and stationed in Germany, strong
enough to resist any corresponding
forces In Eastern Germany"
"The military effort of Europe,
which makes nonsense If it's
goal be to resist the Soviet Union.
would become a limited project
capable of rapid realization =
diminishing the chances of Rus
sia's capturing Europe via Ger
man coup.
Coup Is Greatest Danger.
I believe. with M. Servan-
Schreiber, that q German Conn
munist coup in an otherwise un-
armed country is the greatest dam
ger. The fact that the German
people are Overwhelmingly anti
Communist has nothing to do with
its possible success, which Is purely
q matter Of distribution Of force,
It is. however, politically and
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