Evening star., 1951-12-14
The German Attitude

In his quarterly report to the State Depart
ment United States High Commissioner John j
McCloy has drawn a somewhat disturbing but
not surprising picture of the West German frame
OF mind. The picture more than six years after
the end OF the war, is one of Occupation fatigue
expressing itself in rising tide of dissent
against the Anglo o-French-American allies The
dissent, which reflects "a mood of impatient
rebellion" against restrictions imposed by the
victors, has taken on many FORMS and it exists
among all groups in the population.
Thus, according to Mr. McCloy, the van
quished are yoicing grave doubt as to the good
will and intentions of France, Britain and the
United States. They are inclined, further to
'exaggerate their grievances present excessive
demands, and display an uncompromising atti-
tude quite inappropriate to the realities of their
position today or their past role in upending their
own country along with most of Europe. Above
everything, through the opposition Socialist Party
headed by Kurt Schumacher, they have been
making domestic political football of the cur
rent negotiations between the Anglo French
American occupiers and Konrad Adenauer's con-
servative government at Bonn for peace
contract" designed to convert West Germany into
an almost-sovereign nation to be integrated into
the defensive system being built up by the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization.
However, although all this raises a dis
quieting question as regards the future role
likely to be played by the West Germans in the
NATO alliance, Mr. McCloy-while sharply criti-
cizing then-has voiced the belief that their
present viewpoint does not warrant great deal
of worry. Psychologically and otherwise, their
Behavior, in his opinion, is by no means un-
natural AS he sees it, it does not spring from
any "basic antagonism" Instead, it is "the
normal outcome of protracted foreign occupa-
tion of a country which is rapidly recovering a
sense OF independent statehood"-a country
whose people anticipate an early release from
Irritating allied control are aware that they are
wanted and needed as partners in the defense of
free Europe against the Soviet threat, wish to
build up their national ego, and therefore feel
disposed to try to drive hard bargains and kick
up their heels with increasing vigor something
which the East Germans, of course, cannot do).
Actually, in Mr.. McCloy's Judgment there
Is good reason to hope" that this mood will
have little real bearing on the final decisions
resulting from Bonn's negotiations with France,
Britain and the United States. AS he has put it,
most Germans have made their choice to
identify their lot with that of the West"-a view
that has the support even of the anti-Adenauer
Socialists, who in their latest statement, although
criticizing the Big Three, have made special
point of declaring that they have long since
aligned themselves with the principles of the
free world, as far back, in fact as "the time
the American Government still saw democratic
comrades in the rulers of the Kremlin." The
truth iS after all, that Germany on this side of
the Iron Curtain can hardly do otherwise If 1t
wishes to escape Soviet domination and be it's
own master.
Accordingly, despite the rising tide of dis
sent" the chance seems considerably better
than even that West Germany, with It's so
million people, will in the not-too-d distant future
AS Mr.. McCloy has suggested-become party to
peace contract" that will strengthen both it
self and free Europe as whole. As for the 10
million East Germans, they live under tyranny
that does not allow them to express themselves,
but when their compatriots in the Anglo-French-
American zones achieve near-sovereignty as allies
of the Atlantic community, they will surely take
heart in way that should be much less than
helpful to the Kremln