Evening star., 1949-09-12
Soviet Policy Switch
May End Single Party
In East German Zone
By the Associofed Press

BY the Assoeioted Press
BERLIN, Sept. 12.-In 1946 the
Russians put all their political
eggs in one basket in Germany
They backed the Socialist Unity
Party (SED) as the single spokes-
man for communism in the Soviet
zone.
Signs now are increasing that
the SED slowly but surely is losing
ing Soviet favor.
The SED has vexed the Rus
slams by failing to convert the
German masses to communism.
There have been frequent purges
of minor party officials.
The big men with Moscow
training Wilhelm PECK and
Walter Ulbricht-have continued
in power, but the latest move OF
the Russians may jeopardize even
the top layer of Socialist unity
oficialdom.
Ballot May Be Free.
This concerns the october state
and local elections in the Soviet
occupation zone. For the first
time, it is reported. the SED will
have to stand on its own feet and
compete for votes in what now ap-
pears on the surface to be a rea-
sonably free election.
Western Germans who have
friends in the Soviet zone say the
Russians have instructed the SED
to abandon the single list"
strategy for these elections. This
means the balloting will involve
legitimate contests between nomi-
nees of the Socialist Unity Party,
the National Democrats, the Peas
ant Party, the splinter Christian
Democrats (CDU) and Liberal
Democrats UDP).
At first glance it seems the
Russians are taking a long
chance. But German observers
consider the chance they take IN
an open contest less than the
one they face if they try to force
the old Single list" on the elec-
torate again.
Last May. the Soviets learned
a lesson, these Western sources
say. At that time the Russian
zone was reeling from the West
ern Powers counter-blockade and
dissatisfaction was rising. This
was the moment the Soviets chose
to elect a peoples congress OF
1000 to simulate government
for all Germany.
Voting Choice Offered.
Eastern Germans were given the
choice of voting for the Soviet
sponsored ticket or not voting at
all. They turned out in large
numbers-95.2 per cent, by the
Russians own figures. One-third
of the voters, about 100000, gave
q resounding "no"-the worst re-
buff ever inflicted on communism
behind the Iron Curtain.
The way the Soviets supposedly
reason now is this:
If the contests are thrown open
and all parties have a free crack
at state offices, voters can be
against some politician or party,
yet not appear to repudiate every
thing the Russians represent.
Western observers also believe
the Russians are leaning more
and more toward the National
Democrats. This is the party
created from the ranks of former
Nazis. It includes number OF
influential Germans. 1t is con-
sidered by the Russians to be a
reliable" group.
Cooperation Forced.
Although all parties in the So
Wet zone have been compelled to
cooperate under the domination
Of the SED. none actually has
borne the stigma that attaches to
the SED. A German tends to
blame the party in power for all
his troubles, and the German in
the Soviet zone has plenty.
A considerable rise in the East
ern fortunes of the CDU and LDP
might have somes far-reaching
effect in Western Germany where
the SDU and the LDP's counter
part-the Free Democrats-have
been organizing the new Bonn
republic.
The possibility of the party
elements in both West and East
coming together in gradual
move toward a unified Germany
cannot be discounted. 1t is al
most certain in the minds OF
most, however, that the Western
parties never will see eye-to-eyeI
with the SED nor with the men
who run the SED.
BY getting the SED out of the
road, in a manner of speaking,
the Russians might be creating
political organism with which
Western Germany can do busi-
ness. This would take all the
occupation powers off the cold war
spot and pave the way for a real
"live and let live" policy in Ger
many.
Paper Buqs Suve Space