Evening star., 1949-03-29
Germun Frontier BIunder

German Frontier BIunder
The question may well be asked as to
who is responsible for the pronouncement
of the Six-Power Commission on adjust
ments of the Western German frontier A
more nl-timed decision could hardly be i'm
agined. Regardless of the immediate facts
involved, the political and psychological
consequences of this action may be so
unfortunate as to constitute a flrst-class
diplomatic blunder.
At the inter-Allied discussions in London
over Germany last June, a commission was
set up to study proposals for rectihcations
of the pre-war German frontiers with
France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxem-
bourg, and the territory of the Saar. The
argument was that these borders, some of
them dating back centuries, were very ir-
regular, and that the development of mod
ern roads had given rise to communication
and administrative difficulties which
should be ironed out.
Technically, there may be much to be
said in favor of such rectidcations, all of
which are of minor Importance, involving
neither large towns nor valuable natural
resources. But any border change, no mat
ter how small, is normally the subject of
treaty. So, logically and in accordance with
international usage, alterations of Ger
manys western borders would seem to form
part of general settlement of that coun-
try's status.
These principles, however, have not been
applied. The commission has recommended
81 frontier rectiflcations, aggregating So
square miles of territory with some 1850
inhabitants. Instead of letting these rec
concentrations await a peace settlement,
"the areas affected by the adjustments will
be placed under the administration of the
countries adjacent to Germany" That con-
stitutes de facto annexation, even though
the pronouncement is qualified as "provi--
sional" and subject to confirmation or
modification by the terms of the final
peace settlement" incidentally, there is
nothing in the report of the commission to
indicate that consideration has been given
to frontier irregularities from the German
viewpoint. There will apparently be no
ironing out where non-German territory
would be transferred to German sover-
einty. The improvements are strictly uni
lateral.
Under these circumstances, it is not sur
priSing that the Germans are reacting with
great bitterness. They are already in a
mood of anger and Illustration over the in
ability of the Western Powers to agree
among themselves over frame of govern
ment for their combined zones of occupa-
ton which is needed for West Germany's
recovery and stability. These de facto an
nexations thus give strong reinforce
ment to reviving nationalist feeling, which,
in turn, is being ably exploited by Commu-
mist propaganda seeking to convince all
Germans that recovery and unilcation can
only come through cooperation with the
Soviet Union. l4 = - - =
furthermore, = tiiis astioif II ths Six
Power Commission leaves Western diplo-
macy in bad postnIa ssss ssfding the Ytenen-
dous. de facto annexations by Soviet Rus
sia and Poland In Eastern Germany The
Western Powers have always maintained
that those seizures of territory, aggregat-
ing nearly 10000 square miles, from which
millions OF Germans have been expelled,
are illegal, since all border changes should
await general peace treaty. But now, the
Western Powers are apparently doing just
what they have criticized Russia and Po-
land for doing in the east on vastly larger
scale
1t is interesting to note that this action
has not been Endorsed by some of its bene-
f1ciaries. As special dispatch TO the New
York Times from The Hague states that
"the reaction of Government circles in the
Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg is
cool toward the proposed annexation of
German border territory and public opin-
ion is expected to be openly antagonistic"
Who, then, should be held accountable
for this decision?