Evening star., 1951-07-10
No Longer an Enemy

IN calling upon Congress for legislation TO
end tne technical state of war still existing be-
tween our country and Germany, President lru-
man has acted in keeping with one OF the
decisions agreed upon last September at tne ne"
York meeting of the Anglo-FTench- american
Foreign Ministers What the move amounts TO- III
effect, is another step toward tuli sovereignty
for the West German Federal Republic.
There has been a long series OF Sucn steps
ever since December 81, 1916, when the Presl-
dent issued a proclamation declaring the hos
tilities at an end That proclamation, however,
did not terminate the state of war. About all
it did, in a practical way, was to permit the Ger
mans to resume commercial relations With us, out
Germany itself-legaly and otherWlse-haS
since continued to remain in the status OF an
enemy country
It is this status which Mr.. Truman now wants
to end Coincident with his request to Congress-
Britain Australia and New Zealand nave an
nounced-with the announcement taxing I'M
mediate effect-tlat they have ended 1t. france,
Canada and other free nations are expected 10
act similarly at any moment. AS for our own
country the President will issue war-enolng
proclamation just as soon as the Senate anu
House enact the legislation he deems aoVlsapie
to head off possible legal difficulties bearing on
German property seized during the hostiiitleS u
pay leRlClIIldG6 CldlLuS dsoAIoI SSAAAAeAAJ'
Congress presumably will meet the Presl-
dents request without delay and with little or no
debate. For action to end the state of war, be-
sides having been agreed upon as long ago as
last September is logical and essential part OF
the program that France, Britain and the United
States have been putting into effect, step by step
since the West German Federal Republic hrst
began to function at Bonn in the fall OF l94S
The program, involving steady relaxation OF
occupation controls and constant increase III
the scope of Bonn's governing responsibility ana
authority, is designed to prepare the Germans
for the eventual return of full self-rule as an
equal member of the family of free nations.
Ending the state of war, of course, falls far
short of ending the problem of Germany AS
President Truman has declared, the objective OF
the Western Allies has been and still is, to con-
clude treaty with a government truly repre-
sentative of all the German people and capable
of working with "its free neighbors in maintain
ing the peace and fostering the prosperity OF
Europe" But the Krenlin, by converting third
of the country into province of the Soviet En-
pire. has actively prevented the formation OF
such government in unified land, and it has
thus made impossible for the time being the ar
rangement of q final peace settlement"
So making the best of very bad situation,
France, Britain and the United States-as the
occupying powers-intend, in the Presidents
words. to proceed with their program ito grant
the Federal Republic increasing authority over its
own affairs, and eventually to see Germany re-
stored as a fully sovereign nation Ending the
technical state of war is one of the steps IN that
direction. Although it will not end the occupa-
ton (actually Western forces are being expanded
to meet the threat of Red aggression), it will
have wholesome psychological effect and such
tangible benefits as permitting Germans to do
business with us and our Allies, not as enemy
nationals but as friends.
Further than that, since the Federal Republic
embraces about two-thirds of Germany's prewar
area (including the great industrial Ruhr) and
three-fourths of its population, termination OF
the state of war should help to promote the
integration of West German resources and popu-
lar sentiment into the effort being made by
free Europe as a whole to prosper economically
and organize powerful common defenses Faced
with such integration, the Kremlin might in
time be persuaded to pull in its horns and CO.
operate in real peace treaty for all OF Germany