Evening star., 1953-03-01
Refugees
America Views Them
As German Problem
BY Richord Fryklund

many 1rOm COmmuQ1SC-COnCfOll
German territory are building up
into a serious problem for Chancel-
lor Adenauer'S government, which
must take care of them. Even more
important in the long run. American
diplomats are finding the refugees
a problem. since the question Of
what to do with Stalin's victims is
threatening to undermine American
policy toward Germany's lost ter
ritorieS."
The links between the hapless
refugees and American policy are
provided by three elements in Ger
many, all working at cross purposes:
The politically well-organized ref
ugeeS are keeping Germany stirred
up with demands that they be
quickly assimilated into the West
German economy.
Another politically potent group
is trying to see to it that the refu-
gee problem is not solved. This group
wants to lure the United Nations
and the United States into the dis
pute and then use the refugee prob
lem as lever to reopen the whole
question of reuniting West Ger
many with the Red-controlled pre-
war German territories.
A third, more responsible group,
wants to settle the refugee problem
and leave the German unification
dream for time when it will have
a chance to come true.
Worry for Uncle Som
Watching this ruckus with q
worried expression is Uncle Sam.
The United States Government be-
lieveS that lot of harm can be
done If the issue of East German
territories is reopened at this time.
1t would arouse unnecessary ILL
feeling among friends of the West.
and on both sides of the Iron Cur
tain, at time when nothing could
be done to reunite all of Germany.
There also is danger that a West
Germany preoccupied with the pipe
dream OF immediate unity would
turn away from the practical prob
lem of securing European unity.
The whole intricate mess began to
bubble just after the end of World
War II.
Many Germans fed Red rule
on their own initiative, first from
the Polish areas, then from the Rus
sian zone of Germany. Then, in
1946, the British and American oc-
cupation authorities became so con.
cerned with overcrowding in Ger
many they told Russia no more
eastern Germans would be accepted.
BY that time, 8 million Germans had
been moved to the West.
Russia, however, kept the zonal
borders open. Another is million
Germans fed to the American and
British zones. :.
Last June the Russians closed the
borders. There was one loophole,
however. Germans still could pass
freely from the Russian zone into
the Russian sector of Berlin and
then into the allied parts of the
metropolis.
New Stampede
But recently the Russians began
making obvious preparations to seal
of East Berlin-the last exit. Tens
of thousands of Germans who had
been hurt by increasing hardShips
under Russian rule began to stam-
pede through that last exit. From
an average of 200 refugees entering
West Berlin each day, the number
has jumped in recent weeks to az
high as 1000 and is still climbing.
Under the West German consti-
tuition, all refugees from former
German territories are full-fledged
voting citizens. Embittered and
drawn together by their mutual
sufferings, the 95 million refugees
one-f1fth Of the population of West
Germany - make a tremendously
large and vocal pressure group.
They have their own political
party. "the Expellees and Dispos-
sessed," known by its German ini-
tials, BHE.
Immediate aim Of BHE Is to force
the state government to assimilate
the refugees. Long-range aim is to
restore the former East German ter
ritories SO the refugees can some
day return.
Their agitation for immediate as
similation keeps all Germany con-
scious of the highly-explosive ref.
ugee and German unity problems.
It might be difficult for the state
governments to absorb these refu-
gees and quiet the uproar, but it
would not be impossible. Many OBJ
servers believe West Germany would
actually benefit from the new human
resources.
Others Like Uproor
But there are Germans who do
not want the uproar quieted, and
who therefore do not want the refu-
gee problem solved. Politically, these
persons are found in all parties.
What are their objectives?
Their first tactical goal is to get
the refugee problem before the U. N.
Then they would try to get other
nations, mostly the United States,
to pick up the tab for the cost of
caring for the refugees. Next they
would try to reopen the Potsdam
pact and get the United States be-
hind drive to restore the lost ter
ritorieS.
To more realistic persons, hope
that Russia would give up any terri
tory under pressure short of war Is
absurd and dangerous.
There might, however. be some
short-range propaganda value to the
United States if we took up the
refugee and unity causes at this 4
time. We could emphasize before
the world our humanitarian role and
demonstrate that Germant prefer
democratic to Communist rtle. But
the fear is that this propaganda
would lead us to support the hope