Evening star., 1949-08-16
Germany Votes Conservative

The outcome OF the elections Tor the new
Federal Republic of West Germany should
be evaluated, not only for its local sig
nificance but also in the broader West
European context. Some 24,000,000 voters
representing about 80 per cent of the elec-
torate registered a preference for parties
committed to conservative views on eco
nomic, political and constitutional issues.
This rightward swing echoes the trend in
all recent elections on the European con-
tinent outside of the Iron Curtain. Not
only was communism showed under but
socialism of the evolutionary, parlia-
mentary variety suffered distinct setback
! in popular favor.
The biggest winner in the election was
the Christian Democratic Party, which won
over 1000, 900 votes, more than one-quarter
of the total poll, thereby obtaining plu-
rality. It represents the conservative re-
ligious elements, Roman Catholic and
Protestant alike, and stands for free en-
terprise" in economics and relatively de-
centralized federal government such as Is
provided in the existing charter. To the
surprise OF many observers, another kin
dred group, the Free Democrats, still fur
ther to the right in their economics, won
nearly 100000 votes. Taken together,
these two closely allied parties could OBJ
tain control of the new parliament and
form conservative cabinet. The solidity
of this combination could be further but
tresSed by the adhesion of some minor
groups even more rightist in character,
without being obliged to deal with the ex-
treme right, which is tainted with ultra
nationalist and neo-Nazi tendencies.
The logical opposition to the potential
conservative government should be the
Social Democrats, who polled just short of
100000 votes Akin to the British Labor
Party, the Social Democrats stand for the
naturalization of big industries and CEN
tralized form of government. AS for the
Communists, they got nowhere, slumping
from the average 10 per cent polled by
them in the state elections of two years
ago to only per cent of the total-a trif1e
over 100000 votes. Even Max Reimann,
fiery chief of the Communist Party in West
Germany, was rejected by his home dis
trict
The outcome of the election is undoubt-
edly pleasing to our Government and will
render easier the relations of our occupa-
ton authorities with the coming German
administration. 1t was presumably not so
pleasing to the British Labor Government
and may stiffen its opposition to West
Germany's admission to the Council of
Europe. However, other Britons such as
Winston Churchill will be more inclined to
advocate German membership, while
French objections may be similarly al
layed.
It will be interesting to note how the
conservative leaders will handle their re-
sponsibilitiest - During the election all
parties played up to the sentiments of
national solidarity and an end to foreign
occupation and controls. This was as nat
ural as it was inevitable. But such issues
were unrealistie because at present un-
attainable. BY coming genuinely to grips
with practical problems a sober-minded
German Government can do much to in
spire the confidence of it's Western neigh
bors and justify hopes that democracy is
taking root in Germany.