Evening star., 1949-04-23
Western Allies Offer
Germans WiderPoweI
OF fSelf-Government
By me kssoeioisd Press

Inc OulISO otdLeS, BRITAIN dIlC
France neld out an offer OF
broader self-goyerning powers to
the Western Germans today in an
urgent effort to get a Federal state
started in the former enemy coun-
try.
\ With a possible cold war victory
for Russia hanging on the out
come. the United States rushed
its top trouble shooter on German
affairs. Ambassador Robert D.
Murphy, overseas to sell the COM
promise proposal to baking lead
ers Of the German Social Demo-
cratic Party.
Socialists Win Concession.
The powerful Socialists had
claimed that the original three
power plan for a German state in
the Western occupation zones
would impose too great a limit on
the proposed government, espe-
cially in financial matters.
The new concessions are aimed
at meeting some of the Socialists
demands. which have blocked ap-
proval of the plan by the German
parliamentary council working at
Bonn on the draft OF a consti-
tuition for the new state.
The first reaction to the pro-
lposals from Bonn was favorable.
Some political leaders there pre-
dicted the compromise offer
might break the present stale
mate.
German rejection of the self
government plan would be re-
garded as a hard blow to the
West in its struggle with Soviet
Russia to keep Germany from
Communist control.
Farley May Be in Making.
French Foreign Minister Schu-
man said in Paris yesterday that
1t might somehow be possible to
have Western German state and
an Eastern German state under
the same hat" but he didn't say
how.
He also indicated at news con-
ference that a four-power confer
ence in Germany might be in the
making. But in any case, Mr..
Schuman said. the Western pow
ers will go ahead with their plans
for the Western zones.
/ Mr.. Murphy. American political
adviser on German affairs. is due
in Frankfurt by air in time for a
critical meeting Monday between
| the Western military governors
and the German leaders.
4 Secretary of State Acheson Or
dered the trip yesterday shortly
before the State Department an
nounced the concessions.
\ These are contained in a memo
randum sent April 8 to Gen. Lucius
D. Clay and the British and the
French military governors with in
structions that it might be passed
on to the Germans at an "appro-
pirate" time.
Points In Memorandum.
Submitted to the Bonn Council
yesterday. the memorandum drawn
up by the three foreign ministers
makes these points:
l. Berlin cannot be included at
this time in the new federal gov
eminent for West Germany. which
is to be made up of II individual
states.
2. The Central government
should be given sufficient" power
over matters involving more than
one state.
4 3. Financial independence"
would be granted both the central
government and the individual
states.
| 4. While its taxing authority
would be limited. the central Gov
ernment should have power to
distribute federal tax funds to the
less wealthy states.
The Socialists favor government
ownership Of major industries
along the lines of the British
Labor governments program and
have been pressing insistently for
central government control of ma
jor sources of taxation to finance
their plans.
Mr.. Murphy was accompanied
on his trip by Golth&aite Dorr.
Army Department consultant on
military government affairs.