Evening star., 1949-12-23
By Anthony Eden
North American Newspaper Alliance

The German economic problem
is what troubles the French most
today. It is epitomized in the
future Of steel output. The last
three-power agreement fixed H.
600, 900 tons e year as the level OF
German production and was &C.
cepted by the Germans. Ths
French are emphatic that this Is
the highest possible present hguxe,
and they fear that . considerable
rise n German output beyond 1t
must result in widespread unem-
ployment In France. The knowl-
edge that, In Luxembourg, some
furnaces already have been
damped down while German
steel production Is still far short
Of the agreed level-has made the
French uneasy. Upon this whole |
issue, the Communists have, for
their own purposes, Joined in urg-
ing the French government tol
exercise the greatest vigilance.
There is, however, one aspect Of
policy toward Germany on which
most Frenchmen hold very firm
views. No French government
would be prepared to contemplate
present rearmament Of Germany. |
Personally. I share that view. To
the score Of arguments, historical
and political. which might be ad-
duced against such q course, the
French will quote you this prac-
tical one:
The limitation upon the mill |
tary strength Of France today Is |
not. in the first instance, man
power. but equipment. The exist
ing forces, both on land and in
the air. are still short Of those |
modern weapons which would
make them really effective. How
Is it conceivable, the French
argue, that there should be any
talk Of beginning to create q Ger
many army at a time when we
ourselves lack the equipment we
need? At least let us first serve
those who are already signatories
Of the Brussels Treaty and Of the
Atlantic Pact.
See More Danger Of War.
But apart from this contention,
which seems to me to be un-l
answerable, the French also hold
a strong political conviction thatI
the rearmament Of Germany byl
the Western powers at the present
time would itself increase the
danger Of war in Europe. In this i
also I believe that they are right. |
It is certainly true that Soviet
Russia has no more powerful
weapon among the satellite coun-
tries, particularly in Poland and
in Czechoslovakia, than the fear Of
German military revival, with all
that this implies.
While France is thus opposed toI
present German rearmament,
French statesmen understand veryl
well that the period of military
service compulsory In Allied coun- |
tries deprives them Of production
|by contrast with Germany. The
training and work Of young men
in German industry is uninter-
|rupted, and this is q significant
advantage to German economy.
Almost all sections of French
opinion-the Communists always
excepted-speak warmly, even en-
Enthusiastically in favor Of closer
European unity. The first need,
the French maintain, Is for an
Allied agreement as to future eco
nomic developments in Germany.
The next, in my view, Is clearly
to define our own projects and
proposals.
Unity Efforts Overlap.
A very serious difficulty is the
excessive number Of organizations
which, In one way or another,
have to do with the project Of
European union. Nearly all these
organizations have powerful stats |
attached to them and there Is, in
| consequence, much overlapping. |
This. in its turn, lays heavy stress
and strain upon the officials,
whether at the Quai D'Orsay orl
at the (British) Foreign Office.
who have to deal with so many 4
different authorities.
There is the Atlantic Pact and
the Brussels Treaty; there Is the
European Assembly at Strasbourgt
and the Council Of Ministers con-
nected with it; and there is the
Office Of European Economic CO.