The Daily Alaska empire., 1950-06-06
I H ESE DAYS
GEORGE E. SOKOLSKY
OUR GERMAN NECESSITIES


 1 During the war, our two enemie, were Germany and Japan. Afte, the war, our policy toward each oj these countries was different. Oul policy toward Germany was based on the -Yalta and Potsdam agree. ments, affected by the Russian con- tinuance of the Molotov-R -Ribbentror Pact and the American acceptance of the Morgenthau plan.
 AS regards Japan, General Doug- las Macarthur so maneuvered his own authority that the Far Eastern commission was reduced in influ- ence. Japan became a ward of ~le United States with Macarthur as l the American pro-consul. Gener- ally speaking, the situation in Sa- pan has developed more satisfac- torily than could have been antici- pated; the situation in Germany has been complicated, confused costly and tinderbox for war. It is really in that atmosphere that the assistant high commis- sioner to Germany, Benjamin J. Buttenwieser, sought to explain to his own co-religionists exactly what was going on in Germany. AL though his address was rejected, t could not be suppressed.
 Buttenwieser said:
 Of course, there are foriner Nazis in many public positions in Germany. Many are school teach CTS. mail carriers, policemen. Some occupy higher positions. Many bus inessmen, holding important posts, were former members of the Nazi party. Let us keep in mind, how ever. that though these people were certainly not heroes, not all of them were devils .'
 In a word, this country has decided to include Western Ger many in the comity of Western nations Secretary of State Dean Acheson made a speech to the nation about it last Wednesday. The problem then is to find the people in West Germany wljh whom we can do business. If we exclude all the former Nazis, even those who were forced into that pattern, our position could become hopeless. Continued vindictiveness cannot serve the United States, and no matter what other consider ations may be involved, only the best interests of the United States should influence Americans.
 MT Buttenwieser listed the num- Ter of Nazis who were put to death and punished. Then said:
 T suggest that these figures hardly indicate any softness in dealing with those guilty of Nazi misconduct. Equally, however, no reasonable person can deny, nor would anyone otherwise expect, that some guilty have escaped detection or punishment. It is practically inns possible in a movement which was so long existent and widespread as was the entire Nazi scourge to bring to the bar of justice all who were guilty of participation or col 1oI I,or it, ifc irh onrdIlpt All that we could have hoped to achieve and all that think we have accomplished, is that sim cere, honest and, so far as feasible, effective job was done in punishing the guilty in manner and to Gle degree for which punishment is designed"
 We have experienced the Berlin airlift. The problem that faces the United States is whether the Russian boundary, which is now on the Elbe, should be moved to the Rhine, or whether we shall have to fight over that, or whether we can help build an effective state in West Germany. We can not dodge one of those alternatives unless an agreement is reached with Soviet Russia for United Germany, governed by the Gernian people without external interfer- ence.
 That is the practical side of rne problem. ButtenWieSer puts it tLe way:
 "As I conceive it, we Americans cannot reorient the mental proc esses of the German people. do not believe any nation is capable of recasting the thinking of an- other nation. Only the Germans can reorient themselves. All that