Evening star., 1951-08-11
Germans Movement
Toward Democracy
Is Vague and Spotty
By John P. Leococos


FRANKFURT, Germany, Aug.
1.-THE great American expert
ment in Germany-persuading sol
million Teutons to reverse their
historic tracks-has a chance of
succeeding, cautiously optimistic
officials here assert.
Turning post-Hitler Germany
towrad the West will not be a
mere propaganda triumph, despite
complacent American claims, how
ever. Rather, it will be a slow
appreciation of their basic self
interest by Germans themselves.
A high official phrased it this
way:
THE Kaiser's dream of military
domination and Hitler's MASTER
race theory both failed miserably.
Now Germans are vaguely looking
for something bigger to tie on to.
That solution is a united Europe,
with Germany an equal among
equals.
Schuman Plan Gaining Friends.
Today the Schuman Plan, the
most revolutionary forerunner of
a united Europe, faces increasing
acceptance among Germans. Ger
man soldiers in a European army
or an Eisenhower Atlantic army,
may be a near prospect for this
year. Less and less open criticism
OF German rearmament is heard
on this score.
Predisposed psychologically to
doing things en- masSe, Germans
are reported more willing to try
fighting for united Europe,
alongside Frenchmen and Italians,
than to resort again to the tried
debated wars of nationalistic
pressure groups In this atmos-
phere of growing acceptance of
a common European destiny, there
is a trick question, however. 1t is:
What specific things do individ-
ual Germans get out of a Western
alliance?
Political Sovereignty.
The ordinary German knows of
only one concrete thing that he
will get out of going with the
West. That is a political sover-
einty and equality-plus partici-
patton in his own military secur-
ity-after a series of contracts is
negotiated defining the detailed
defense requirements of the three
western occupying powers. Those
negotiations were stalled first by
the Russian Big Four conference
maneuver and now by overmeticu-
louS American generals.
Germans already possess vir-
tual economic independence. Their
economic policies are so liberal,
in fact. as to draw the fire of en-
viouS western neighbors. What
more can the Germans receive?
The Americans answer: More of
the fruits of democracy" just
what does this mean? And how
democratic" have the Germans
become?
American officials regularly
preach that the Germans must |
earn the fruits of democracy" by
reforms: In education. greater
of opportunity for school .
in business, allowing any
one license to start a business;
in civil service. making govern
mental functionaries servants of
the people.
Progress Is Slow.
To become effective, these prof. I
ects would have to break down
traditions enduring since feudal
times. Progress to date has been
slow and spotty. Americans three I
years ago tried to introduce a new /
civil-Service code, but the old bu- H
reaucratic crew rules the admin 4
iStrative roost. Restrictive licens- |!
ing continues, and so does the
cartel philosophy.
Politically. American ideas have .
not put nick into the national !
istic revival that this year gave
rise to neo-Nazi parties. /
The Germans uproar over the /
seven hanged Nazi felons made
well-wishers of the new Germany
despair. So does anti-American |
feeling, bluntly and widely ex-
in the Ruhr and in Ba-
varia.
In fact, Allied officials believe
that the No. ! problem in western |,
Germany is not the Communists, |,
but the diehard Germans.