Evening star., 1961-10-05
Adenouer Gains Ground

A0en0ueF 00InS 0FOun0
The dispatches from Bonn tell of
the collapse" of opposition to fourth
term for Konrad Adenauer as Chancellor
of West Germany, and attribute this
to Mr.. Adenauer'S skill in "outmaneu-
vering" his opponents. Perhaps this is
the correct explanation. But there
certainly is some reason to doubt it.
After the German elections on
September IT, in which the Free Dem
ocratS made a strong showing while
Dr. Adenauer'S Christian Democratic
Union, was losing its dominant position,
it had been expected that new Chan
cellor would be chosen through a
coalition of these groups Leaders of
the Free Democrats, however, had stated
flatly and inSiStently that they would
never enter into coalition unless DR..
Adenauer was replaced as Chancellor.
Now the wind is blowing the other
way. The Free Democrats have accepted
an invitation from the Chancellor to
join him in talks on coalition govern
ment, and the forecast is that the 35-
year-old DR.. Adenauer will again be
elected as West Germany's chief of state.
If this has resulted from skill in
maneuver alone, Chancellor Adenauer
must indeed be an aStute politician-So
much so that one might we'll conclude
that he is truly indispensable in this
time of trouble. For what it is worth,
however, we suggest that there is
another and perhaps a more funda-
mental explanation of the collapse of
the opposition to DR.. Adenauer.
Five days after the German cleo
tions General Lucius Clay, President
Kennedys representative in Berlin,
stirred up quite tempest by suggesting
to group of journalists at cocktail
party that the West Germans ought to
accept reality-meaning that the exist
ence of a separate East Germany is
fact which ought to be taken into con-
Sideration. The vigorous reaction which
followed the impact of this on the
German people brought forth a not
too-succeSSful effort to soft-pedal the
Generals remark. But even If this
effort had been wholly successful the
fact would have remained a fact.
Germany is divided, and there is no
visible prospect of identification in the
foreSeeable future.
The German people, however, have
been nurtured for a long time on the
soothing syrup of a united Germany.
Many had come to believe it, or at least
not to question it. Only after the Com
munists sealed off East Berlin did ex-
tenSive miSgivings and doubts begin to
arise. And now, if Mr.. Khrushchev goes
through with his threat to sign a
separate peace treaty with the puppet
East German government, as he prob
ably will, the man who happens to be
Chancellor of West Germany will have
to introduce his people to the harsh
facts of life. He will have to tell them
that East Germany must be recognized
on some kind of de facto baSiS-unleSS,
and this seems unlikely, they should
prefer to break away from the West
and seek Identification through a deal
with the Russians.
The West German political leaders,
Of course, know this. And If they have
not been exactly clamoring for the
assignment as the next Chancellor,
that is hardly surprising. Their political
careers, with the exception of DR.. Ade-
nauer, lie in the future, and for them
truth-telling could be a hazardous
business. At IS, however, DR.. Adenauer
can hardly be dreaming OF new political
worlds to conquer. Assuming his willing
ness, he would be the best man to break
the news to the German people. And
we cannot help thinking that this has
something to do with the collapse" of
the opposition to fourth term for the
man who has led Germany out of the
wilderness of World War lis crushing
defeat.