Evening star., 1955-10-24
Pro-Germon Vote Piles Up
81 Pct. Moiorityin Soor
BIZ CROSBY 5. MOVES

BY CROSBY S. MOVES
European Correspondent Of The star
sAARBRUCKEN, oct. a.
Having decisively upset the in
ternational applicant, the Saar's
pro-G German leaders moved today
to pick up the apples.
At first glance their victory
seems complete. BY o convincing
majority Of 67.7 per cent the
Saar,s voters yesterday turned
down j proposal to place the Saar
undersinternational control. The
meaning of the vote is clear: A
large majority Of Sarrlanders
want the territory returned to
Germany in the shortest possible
time.
French Premier Faure and
German Chancellor Adenauer ex-
changed kilograms today ex-
pressing their conviction that
the outcome Of the plebiscite
must not be allowed to upset re-
latlons between France and West
Germany.
Johannes Hoffman, the Saar's
pro- French Premier resigned q
few minutes after the final re-
turns were announced. After a
good deal Of tough talk he de-
cided to yield to this expression
Of viii" by the electorate. The
promise is for early elections
which seem certain to result in
. strongly pro- German Saar
government. In the meantime,
Herr Hoffman may stay on as
caretaker 10 handle current busi-
ness and ensure order. However,
some prod German leaders said
they would not accept him for
the post. . I
Maintaining order at this
point seems to be a minor prob
lem. Having gotten virtually
everything they want pros
German leaders have now issued
q general appeal for calm. The
danger Of serious disturbance
which remained a lively threat
until early today seems to have
vanished with the Hoffman res
ignation.
But though the Saar itself Is
quiet, plenty Of trouble appears
to be brewing elsewhere. AS they
start picking up the pieces the
Saar's new political leaders may
have some serious second
thoughts about the more destruc-
tive side Of yesterdays vote.
The agreement between France
and Germany worked out a year
ago between Premier Mendes-
France and Chancellor Adenauer
has been smashed. Once again
the ageless dispute over pos
session Of this fabulous industrial
area is UP in the air and Saar
nationalism has re-emerged as
the bull in the European china
shop.
Unquestionably the Saar vote
comes as a blow TO Mr.. Ade-
nauerss leadership at a moment
when he could III afford it. Hav-
ing negotiated the agreement the
aging chancellor was forced To
defend it at considerable cost tc
his own popularity in Germany
Today it seems unlikely that he
can resist pressure which will be
put upon him to demand new
negotiation with the French or
the Saar.
For their part. the French
cannot be expected to accept
these demands easily. The Saai
vote comes as a singing humili-
ation at the very moment when
the French government is pre-
pairing OF 60 to Geneva to sup
port the cause Of German
relnification. Deeply involved
with the Nationalist problem in
North Africa and with national
elections in the of1ing, 1t is prob
able the French government will
turn deaf ear to any sugges-
ton for early negotiations. Rec
ognizing these facts pro- German
leaders here have suddenly
switched their tactics since the
result Of the vote was an
nounced. Suddenly in the course
Of q midnight press conference
their tone became extremely
reasonable.
The vote, the leaders ex-
planned, should not be inter.
preted in any way as VOTE
against France. On the contrary