Evening star., 1950-05-21

pool with Western Germany by &C
tries of the two countries is the
first overt step toward a sweeping
change to give Europe a much
needed new look.
In the files of the State Depart
ment and the Pentagon are realis-
tic plans for total defense of
the West. These, II put into effect,
would bring large dividends from
the heavy financial sacrifices We
have made for Europe. The plans
include not only economic inte-
grafton of nations on the other
side of the Atlantic. but also the
organization OF a European armed
force.
The latter idea-still in the
blueprint stage-is intended to
| include German forces in the de-
tense against the East. In order
to save appearances, insofar as
the touchy French are concerned,
1t is planned to add German man.
power to that Of the rest Of West
ern Europe. not as a national
army. but as a component part
of the defense.
Military Advocates Pool
Although the proposal by
French Foreign Minister Schuman
came as a surprise to most out
siders, American and French
governments have been working
toward that end since last fall.
Military men Of the Atlantic pact
nations have been advocating for
some time the inclusion OF Ger
many in the general defensive
plans of Western Europe. They
have argued with their diplomatic
and political leaders that only by
pooling together all available
forces will Europe be able to resist
an onslaught from the East.
Germany with her Al million
people cannot remain a no-mans-
land for long. Neither We nor
other members of the Atlantic
pact have the power and the
ability at the present time to offer
long resistance to the Russians
while Germany continues dis
armed and incapable of defending
herself.
The views of the military men
have not been without effect on
the minds of political leaders. The
main trouble has been to make
the different people in the West
who hold in their hands the fate
of their governments - under
stand that old suspicious and
hatreds must be set aside in order
to make possible a real defense
against the Russians.
The Schuman plan for integra-
ton of the coal and steel indus
tries of France and Germany has
been discussed with Washington
for some time. 1t was considered
to be the most satisfactory ap-
proach to the general problem.
The nearly century, old fear of the
French people of Germany still
exists. They feel that if Germany
were permitted to rearm, France
might be doomed.
Plan Has Controls
1t is difficult to convince the
average Frenchman that If the
West does not give the Germans
the means for physical resistance
to the U. S. S. r., they may be
overwhelmed and eventually inte-
grated into the Russian system
as a whole. They would enter
France as allies of the Soviet.
The Schuman scheme has the
political advantage of allaying
fears Of the man-in- street
about German rearmanent. II the
coal and steel industries are pool
ed. the French government would
have control over the production
of factories and will be able to
halt them If it feels that they are
directed against Frances security.
Mr.. Schuman is perhaps the
most far-seeing foreign minister
France has had in many years.
An Alsatian by birth, he served
in the German Army in World
War /. This. however, does not
make him any less an ardent and
loyal French patriot. But he has
the realism which is Characters
tic of the Alsatians. He wants
peace and security for his coun-
try.
An enlightened student OF his
tory, he has realized that if France
had been less adamant and fear
full about its neighbors across the
Rhine and If she sought security
instead Of forming alliances with
the countries Of Central and
Southeastern Europe after World
War I. the Second World War
might have been avoided
Torpedoed Weimar Republic
Between 1918, when the Ger
man empire fell and the Weimar
republic was established, the ad-
vent of that tragic political
"accident"-Adolf Hitler-there
was an excellent chance of bring
ing about genuine understanding
between France and Germany.
Delusions Of grandeur combined
with political intrigues and many
other considerations caused the
men at the head Of the frequently
changing French government to
overlook this bet. And 1t was, In
fact, France which torpedoed the
Weimar republic when in 1881 it
caused the collapse of the Aus
trian and German banks as retail
alton for the attempted anschluss
of the two German-speaking
countries. From that time on 1t
was only question Of time until
the Austrian montebank came to
power.
The last warning to the French
government about the danger to |
the world from establishment of
the Nazis in the German govern
ment was given by no less a person