Evening star., 1952-05-09
West Germany Given
Strong European Role
In Touchy Unity Move|
By Dorothy Thompson


the new.
During the postwar years, and
indeed until the beginning of 1851
the policy of the Western Allies
was that Germany must be kept
weak, relative to France and Brit
ain. Now the policy is to build
up Strength-economic, industrial
and military-wherever it can be
found or developed in Europe.
France is actually the softest
spot, financially and militarily, de-
spite the fact she is Europe'S rich
est country. But, as we have
seen, her government is perpet-
ually unstable, her finances are
in chaos, the better part of her
army and officers corps are
begged down in mdo-C China, and
she has troubles in North Africa
where her policy has been neither
OF authority nor reform.
West Germany Emerges.
Meanwhile, the West Germans,
with the managerial energy and
efficiency for which they are both
admired and feared, and with a
working population that alone in
Europe. and perhaps in the world,
seems to prefer work to leisure,
are stepping forth into the front
ranks.
Furthermore, Germany after
each of her lost wars, has pro-
duced a financial genius-after
World War I, DR.. Karl Halfferich
and DR.. Hjalmar Schacht; after
World War II, DR.. Ludwig Ehr-
hard.
Thus. more and more, the
United States is coming to put it's
chief reliance for strength on
West Germany. This is fact not
without serious political complica-
tionS with other European coun-
tries. It has created the most
critical situation with the Rus
slams since the war.
Controls Irritate Ruhr.
Here in the Ruhr, most post
war controls have been lifted, but
some remain from the former pol
icy. To the rational managerial
mind, these are irritating. One is
the continuance of what is not at
all accurately called "de-carteliza-
ton" It should better be called
Recommendation, and is aimed
against big business as such.
Now, with the Schumann plan
which provides for joint operation
OF the European coal and steel in
dustrieS. it poses new problem
for while the Western Allies con-
tinue to break German industry
up into smaller units, French in
duStry is highly concentrated.
Two of the greatest West Ger
man steel plants have been dis
mantled and still are forbidden to
manufacture steel. Indeed, no
steel is being manufactured in this
once great steel center.
Borbeck, formerly thes largest
steel plant here. was not destroyed
in the war but dismantled and
sent to Russia. Krupp's great
steel works outside Essen still is
closed down by Allied orders.
A correspondent from popular
American weekly recently visited
the Krupp works and inquired of
the manager whether Krupp was
prepared to manufacture tanks for
the European army. He replied,
''Of wood?"
The correspondent was not
aware that Krupp-although it
has iron-using factories for trucks,
etc.-iS not in the Steel-manufac-
turing business.
Labor Laws Differ.
Another problem that confronts
Joint European operations is the
difference in labor laws and stand
ards. Everywhere in Germany
among the managerial class there
is apprehension regarding the
workings of so-called "co-determ-
ination." This is labor demand
that has become law in some
states, that puts representatives
Of the workers on an equal basis
with management in the direction
Of every industry. In some states
this already is law, and pressure
Is being exercised for federal leg
islation along the same lines.
In principle, management is not
averse to such participation
through the workers councils in
every individual plant. But the
trades unions are not satisfied
with this. They want an external
representative of the trade union
that covers the whole industry in
every plant.
Such representatives. the man
ayers say, have proved indif-
ferent to problems of the separate
plants and defeat any real CO.
operation for common aims.
Also, If captured by Commu-
nists. such representatives would
be in a position to sabotage all
production. And such concentra-
ton Of labor power is also incom-
patible with deconcentration of
industry itself.
German management also can
not understand the American at
titude in principle as it affects
rationalized big business of which
the United States is, itself, the
outstanding example. It is re-
ported in the Ruhr that the Veri-
nigten Stahl Werke Omitted Steel
Works. are slated to be broken
up.
They point out that United
States Steel produces 21a times as
much steel as all the German
steel plants combined, and that
Bethlehem Steel produces more,
too. :.
The highest proportion of steel
production ever held by Krupp
was 10 per cent and it was
the largest steel producer. The
strength of United States indus
try, they argue, is in its integra-
tim and If the limited States