Evening star., 1950-09-07
For Reorming West Germany

In endorsing High Commissioner John J.
McCloy's advocacy of some form of rearmament
for West Germany, Secretary of State Acheson
has made clear that American policy on this
subject has undergone basic change in view of
the growing threat of Soviet aggression. 1t Is
change fully in keeping with the dictates of
simple prudence and ordinary common sense in
a time of great danger-a change essential to the
security not merely of the free Germans but of
the entire Atlantic community as we'll.
At present, under an agreement worked out
last year by France, Britain and the United
States with Chancellor Adenauer's government
at Bonn, the Federal Republic of West Germany
is pledged "to prevent the recreation of armed
forces of any kind" The arrangement is based
on two major considerations: Cd The French
peoples understandable fears of reSurgent mill
tarism in country that has invaded their land
three times within the past 80 years, and (2)
the possibility, which many Westerners regard as
very real that in the future after the withdrawal
of occupation troops, new unified and rearmed
Reich, acting either as an equal partner or as a
puppet, may follow historic German tendency
by allying itself with the Kremlin for the
conquest of all Europe.
Taken by themselves, these and similar
considerations are by no means Senseless. The
fact is, however, that they cannot be taken by
to the ominous reality that Germany today is
two separate countries and that the one in the
East-behind the Iron Curtain-is completely
controlled by the Communists as Soviet
satellite. Moreover in brazen violation of their
international agreements, the Russians have
already trained and equipped within this puppet
state special force of at least $4,000 or 10000
Germans-a force phonily described as police"
organization even though it is armed with very
heavy weapons and is obviously designed to be
built. up, month by month, into Red army
capable of taking over the whole country when
the time seems ripe for the Kremn to give the
signal for such aggression.
The similarity between this situation and the
situation that prevailed in Korea before the
northern Reds marched southwark across the
3Sth Parallel is too clear and striking to need
explanation If today our Anglo -French-A
lean occupying forces were to withdraw from
West Germany, then tomorrow-or not long
thereafter-the free Germans, who are now
totally disarmed, would almost certainly find
themselves being Korea-ized by the Soviet
trained police" army of puppet East Germany.
In the circumstances as Mr.. McCloy has declared,
there is every reason why action should be taken
now to enable these threatened people to defend
themselves in case they are attacked.
The fact that Mr. Acheson has endorsed this
view, the fact that he has come out In favor OF
having the free Germans take part in the defense
of Western Europe, indicates that the subject will
loom large in his New York conversations next
week with British Foreign Minister Bevin and
French Foreign Minister Schuman. Clearly
enough, what is needed is an all-around agree
ment to establish in the Bonn republic armed
forces at least equal to those that the Kremlin
has been organizing in Eastern Germany Beyond
that, there is also a need to work out arrange
ments to fit such new forces into the integrated
security system being developed by the twelve
nations belonging to the North Atlantic Pact.
All this of course, involves various risks, but
as Mr.. McCloy has declared, mo step one takes
in this world is without some risk" and the
hazard of rearming West Germany to limited
degree is certainly not nearly so great as the
hazard of letting it become another South Korea
(but far more serious one) by depriving it of
the means of self defense. France, Britain and
the United States should act accordingly
without delay. The hour is late.