Evening star., 1951-11-11
Elections in Germany?

r1dACc, otltdlA dAu Tile OHlteQ SIdGeS, acClIlg
IN concert, have executed an effective maneuver
in calling upon the United Nations General As
sembly for a special commission to determine
whether existing conditions in partitioned Ger
many make it possible to hold genuinely free
elections" there. From the propaganda stand
point at least the proposal constitutes challenge
to the Soviet Union either to put up or shut up
on the issue-an issue whose settlement is in
diSpenSable to the creation of a sound peace
system in Europe
Through its puppet East German regime the
Kremlin within recent months has been intensi-
flying its propaganda effort to pressure the West
German Federal Republic at Bonn into taking
part in "free" nationwide elections as prelude
to the Identification" of the country under a
def1nitive peace treaty. But the joker in all this
has been that 1t would allow for no Impartial
international supervision to safeguard against a
rigged vote in the Soviet zone of occupation
Instead, it would pave the way for the eventual
establishment of Communist tyranny and the
conversion of the whole of Germany into another
Red satellite
Nevertheless, despite its phoniness, this call
for a countrywide vote seems to have hood
winked a lot OF unthinking Germans. Accord
ingly, to clear the atmosphere with test of
Red sincerity, the Anglo-French- h-American pro-
posal-flrst suggested by Chancellor Adenauer at
DOilil-WOuIu Ittfc tIlc 0SIlGTdl Assembly act on
the matter Under the proposal, an impartial
U. N. commission would be set up and instructed
to travel through all parts of Germany including
the Soviet zone, to carry out thorough in
veStlgatlon and report back whether or not the
situation prevailing in these areas were salts
factory enough to insure what DR. Adenauer has
called free general, equal, secret and direct"
national elections
Up to now. however, the men of the Kremlin
have followed a policy making clear that they
want no outside inquiry into their zone of occu-
patton and that they fear-with good reason
that the German people would vote overwhelm-
ngly against the Communists in genuinely free
elections. Barring complete about-face by the
Russians, there thus seems little or no likeli-
hood that they will agree to the Anglo-French-
American proposal But the proposal is none
theleSs timely, If only because 1t takes the wind
out OF their propaganda and places them in
position where they cannot reject the idea with
out an embarrassing betrayal of their nSincerity.
Conceivably-just concevably- dilemma,
or possibly desire to ease present world ten
Sions, may persuade the Soviet Union not to
oppose the proposal. In that case If the pro-
jected commission carries out its investigation
without hindrance and returns with favorable
report, the next step presumably would require
the Russians tc consent to free and unfettered
countrywide elections under U. N. supervision.
Given their agreement on that the way would
then be open for the unifcation of divided Ger
many and the writing of final peace treaty
under which it could be restored to the family
of nations as an independent, non-aggressive
land -.
1t need hardly be added that such develop
ment-since 1t would pacify one of the most
critical tension spots between East and West
would vastly improve the outlook for a sound
peace not only in Europe but throughout the
world. Unfortunately, however the men Of the
Kremlin yearn to dominate Germany as key
to overwhelming domination elsewhere In the
circumstances, embarrassing as 1t may be to them,
they probably will be unyielding in their opposi-
ton to the plan of the Western Big Three. Still,
one can always hope for incredible surprises.