Evening star., 1950-12-03
GermunsVote
Against Arms
France Now Seems
LoneIier Than Ever
By John BortIeft

FRANKFURT results OF
three State elections In Western
Germany have confronted West
ern Europe with q sudden embar-
rassment. While the Western
Allies have been debating the ad-
visibility Of arming the Germans,
a substantial portion Of the Ger
man people has declared itself un-
willing to be rearmed.
This Is q reverse Of the historic
role Of the German militarist and
there are some observers who feel
1t may give the French something
to think about, for until now the
French have violently opposed
German participation in the
Western European army except
on a rather innocuous level.
Perhaps, 1t Is suggested, the
French may suddenly feel q little
lonelier in Europe with Britain re-
fusing to have any part of q
European army and the Germans
suddenly turned to pacifism.
The Germans indicated their
opposition to rearmament by sup
porting the Social Democrats who
had made 1t the central issue Of
the parliamentary campaigns in
Bavaria. Hesse and Wuerttemberg-
Baden. The interesting element
IN this choice is that while the
German Social Democrats have
repeatedly announced their op-
position to rearmament, their
leader DR.. Kurt Schumacher does
not oppose in fact the idea. He
has simply said that he opposes
rearmament at present under
present conditions.
The conditions DIR. Schumacher
lays down for German participa-
ton in Western defense are little
different from those laid down by
the Christian Democrat, DR.. Ade-
nauer. Both leaders have said
that the Western Allies must
strengthen their forces here and
both leaders have said the Ger
mans must be taken In as an
equal military partner.
The important difference be-
tween the two points Of view is that
Chancellor Adenauer has demand
ed German role In Western de-
fense. DR.. Schumacher, in the
position Of the opposition, has
had an easier time of 1t. Unham-
pered by the responsibilities of gov
ernment. he has been able to
appear to be opposing rearmament
itself.
Whatever the niceties of DR..
Schumacher's politics. 1t is. how
ever, clear that the German peo-
pie apparently have no taste for
the idea of rearmament and do
not want to be brought into any
war. for whatever reason.
Policy Aim
Some American ofIicials-dis-
turbed by the possible reaction the
German vote may have on the
United States-are stressing that
the vote IN Hesse and Wuerttem-
berg Baden was light, that 1t COW
cred only two states, that many
local issues were involved in the
voting, and that therefore the So
cial Democrat victory was not so
conclusive as it appears. But If
the rearmament issue was not
clear-cut in the earlier election,
there is no question but that the
results of those elections made it
quite clear-cut in the Bavarian
voting.
The position of Chancellor Ade-
nauer in Bonn has clearly been
weakened. In all three elections
his Christian Democratic Union
suffered heavy losses. Even If the
Irearmament question is disre-
garded. the fact that the electorate
ignored the Christian Democratic
Union indicated dissatisfaction
with the federal government
policy, perhaps on economic is
sues. particularly the coal short
age.
Until now the Western Allies.
particularly the Americans. have
given substantial support to the
Adenauer government in the in
terests Of stability. This support
has often been bold and ol'en.
Now, however. the Allies .re 60
ing to keep their hands off.
The paramount aim Of Allied
policy in Germany today Is to
bring the West Germans into the
defense pattern Of Western Europe.
Their chief problem Is to avoid
the appearance Of bargaining
with the Germans for German
help in that defense.
(Copyrisht. London Observer Foreisn
News Service.)
Those Were th1