GREAT DECISIONS
Topic 2
What Should the U.S. Do
About Germany in Europe?
THE PHOBLEM
Just 10 years after the com
plete defeat of Nazi militarism,
Germany is again a rising mili
tary power. Now there are two
Germanies . . . one in the West
allied to the U.S. and one in
the East allied to the Soviet
Union.
Divided, rearmed Germany,
the focal point in the cold war,
is a fiind of world in miniature,
with Russia and the U.S. stand
ing toe-to-toe along the line
that divides Germany, Europe
and the world into powerful,
hostile camps.
At her surrender in 1945, Ger
many was divided into four oc
cupation zones U.S., Russian,
British and French. Berlin, the
capital, was also divided into
four zones, although deep in
Russian-occupied Germany. Con
flicts in the impossible "joint"
administration reached a climax
in 1948-49 when Russia block
aded the Western zones of Ber
lin and the U.S. and her allies
supplied troops and West Ber
lin citizens by "airlift."
Though Russia lifted the
blockade, the division of Ger
many into East and West seemed
permanent. Western allies
merged their three zones and
set up a West German govern
ment. Russia shortly after set up
an East German communist
government. All negotiation at
tempts ended in deadlock.
"The German problem" crowd
ed newspaper headlines all over
the world in 1955, providing a
background of the problem and
demonstrating questions which
arose. Last year's news stories
included the following:
May 5 West German Fed
eral Republic became a sov
ereign state. President Eisen
hower signed an order ending
occupation of Germany and
transferring functions of t n e
military command to diplomats.
West German Chancellor Kon-
rad Adenauer said, "Our goal
is a free and unted German in
a free and united Europe." To
the East Germans he said, "You
belong to us, we belong to you!."
May 5 The Western Euro
pean Union, first step in polit
ical federation of Western Eu
rope, became a reality. The
agreement provides for admis
sion of West Germany into the
North Atlantic defense alliance
(NATO) and will put 500,000
Germans into uniform for the
first time since World War II.
Adenauer states, "Germany, af
ter being isolated for 50 years,
has chosen the path of friend
ship with the people of the
West."
May 13 Premier Nikolai A.
Bulganin bitterly criticized
Western policy of rearming West
Germany. "The Soviet Union,"
he said has always been a reso
lute and consistent opponent of
West German remilitarization."
May 14 A 20-y ear mutual
defense treaty, an answer to the
NATO alliance, was signed by
the USSR, Albania, Bulgaria,
Czechoslovakia, East Germany,
Hungary, Poland, and Rumania.
Marshal Ivan S. Konev of the
Soviet army was named supreme
commander of the unified com
mand.
May 15 Konrad Adenauer
Station
KWIN
140Q K.C
Sundays
10:15
A.M.
Investments made
by the 1 0th of the
month earn divi
dends as of the
First.
27
f CHRISTIAN
L SCIENCE A
iHEALS
said, "If there were a choice
for the Federal Jepublic of Ger
many between reunification on
the one hand and NATO on the
other . . . and we chose in favor
of reunification, . . . Germany
would become a satellite state."
June 10 Tha administration
of Adenauer was criticized in
Parliament for "unworthy haste"
in which West German rearm
ament was presented for legisla
tive action. Particular criticism
was against a "soldiers' oath"
which is similar to that required
in the Hitler regime.
June 13 Arriving in Washing-
A meeting for discussion
leaders taking part in the
Great Decisions program will
be held Wednesday at 8 p.m.
in Room 3 ai Medford High
school, according to Don Han
son, chairman of the Great
Decisions committee.
The program is to include
a critique of the first week's
activities in the foreign policy
study and further help to
those leading various discus
sion groups, Hanson said.
ton, Adenauer noted the bonds
of friendship between his nation
and the U.S. He said that Ger
mans are convinced that friend
ship with the free world "on the
basis of the treaties which have
recently come into force, is the
best means of maintaining peace
and freedom, and attaining the
reunification of Germany."
July 18 H e a d s of govern
ments of the U.S., Britain,
France and the Soviet Union
opened their "summit" confer
ence at Geneva, Switzerland.
The problem of German and
European security received con
siderable attention. Eisenhower
referred to the division of Ger
many as "a basic source of in
stability in Europe," and called
for prompt reunification. He said
the U.S. is "quite ready to con
sider" reasonable safeguards
compatible with the security of
all concrened" in regard to the
Soviet Union's security interests
in the face of a united and re
armed Germany.
June 24 Adenauer assures
the Western Allies that West
Germany will not use force to
solve the problem of reunifica
tion. Sept. 8- Adenauer arrived in
Moscow to discuss the "normal
ization of relations" between
Germany and USSR. In a dra
matic policy shift, the Soviet
Union offered June 7 to extend
diplomatic recognition to the
West German Federated Repub
lic and settle outstanding areas
of conflict. Adenauer made clear
his determination to obtain re
lease of German prisoners of
war held by the Russians, and
raised question of Germany's
eastern borders.
Sept. 20 Russia grants sov
ereignty to the East German
Democratic Republic following
three days of talks by Soviet
leaders and East. German Pre
mier Otto Grotewohl. Under the
treaty, East Germany is "free in
its decisions upon questions of
its interior, politics and foreign
politics, including its relations
with the West German Federal
Republic." Soviet troops, how
ever, remain in East Germany,
as long as Western powers do
not withdraw their troops from
West Germany.
Sept. 30 Five modern day
"Nazis" received suspended sen
tences on charges of revising
the banned Socialist Reich polit
ical party. Three other Nazi
type political movements are
banned- One Nazi-type party,
the German Reich party, is ac
tive on the state level in Lower
Saxony. v
Oct. 27 The "Big Four" for
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R. F. Kyle,
eign ministers open discussions
prepared at "Summit" confer
ence in July, including 1) Euro
pean security and Germany, 2)
disarmament and 3) develop
ment of East-West contracts.
Nov. 18 Secretary of State
John Foster Dulles, commenting
on the foreign ministers confer
ence, said the U.S. "will find it
hard to understand why" the
Russian delegation "was appar
ently under orders not to dis
cuss seriously the matter of Ger
man unification." Soviet For
eign Minister V. M. Molotov de
clared that discussions of Ger
many "were doomed to failure,
if only for the reason they took
place in the absence of Ger
mans." Nov. 16 No agreement was
reached on any of the three
agenda items at the Big Four
Ministers conference. A final
communique stated that the min
isters had "a frank and com
prehensive discussion" of the
three items.
Dec. 7 Loyalty oaths were
administered to the first 101
members, of West Germany's
projected 500,000 fighting force.
At full strength by Jan. 1, 1960,
the force will total 80,000 men
in the air branch, 17,000 in the
navy and the balance in ground
troops. Adenauer states that
civilian control over the armed
forces will be strictly observed.
Jan. 16, 1956 West Germany
will have a navy of 170 ships
and 17,000 men by 1960, accord
ing to the defense ministry. First
units will be 18 minesweepers.
German military tradition was
praised in formal ceremonies
at the recently established West
German naval training base.
Jan. 18, 1956 East Germany's
parliament approves the crea
tion of a defense ministry ana
a "people's army," in a move
designating the already estab
lished People's Police as an
army. The People's Police
strength is estimated at about
95,000 foot soldiers and 15,000
in the air and sea branches.
East German Premier Otto
Grotewohl called for joint ef
forts by East and West Germany
to obtain a reduction of foreign
troops on German soil.
WHERE IS GERMANY GOING?
Can Germany be reunited?
What are tne issues that keep
her divided? What possible com
promises would lead to reunifi
cation? Is a reunited Germany
important to the U.S.? How
would a reunited neutral Ger
many affect U.S. interests? What
effect would it have on Euro
pean peace and security? Would
it be a bulwark against the
spread of communism? Or would
it be a power vacuum inviting
communist subversion or aggres
sion? What will German rearma
ment mean? Why did the West
decide to rearm West Germany
and bring her into NATO? What
effect did this have on Russian
policy in East Germany? Are
Russian fears of a rearmed Ger
many justified? From a long
range point of view, could a re
armed West Germany be a
threat to the U.S. and her allies?
Can the West depend on West
Germany as a military ally?
Would we be justified in dis
banding NATO and withdrawing
U.S. forces from Europe as Rus
sia has asked?
What will the German people
do? What is their government's
attitude on reunification? On
rearmament in NATO vs. "neu
tralization?" Is the official atti
tude shared by the bulk of the
German people? Might Russia
persuade West Germany to ac
cept neutrality as the price for
unification? How democratic is
the new West Germany and
what are the dangers of revived
militarism?
GERMANY'S IMPORTANCE
TO THE U.S.
The rebirth of war-smashed
German economy is one of the
great "success stories" of the
last 10 years. With factories
bombed and dismantled, cut off
from Eastern European markets,
under clouds of suspicion from
President
the western neighbors, West
Germany seemed to accomplish
a miracle.
U.S. Ambassador James B.
Conant said it was because of
1) currency reforms by occupa
tion authorities, 2) establsihment
by law of a stable banking sys
tem, 3) wise economic policies
BROADCAST TIMES
Here are the times and sta
tions for the broadcast of
"Great Decisions" programs:
KBES-TV Tuesdays, 2:30
do 2:45 p.m.
KYJC Saturdays. 6 to
6:30 p.m.
KMED Sundays, 9 to 9:30
p.m.
KWIN (Ashland) Mondays,
8 to 8:30 p.m.
developed by the government,
and 4) Marshall Plan aid from
the U. S.
Aid from "the U.S. from 1948
to 1955 totaled about $1,500,
000,000 not counting a sizeable
contribution" to West German
defense and rearmament.
The real story, however, is
in all of Western European pro
duction, which raised the value
last year by 5 to 6 per cent.
West Germany increased its to
tal production by 10 per cent.
Although 11 years ago some
Western statesmen were threat
ening to strip German industry
and leave it a harmless agricul
tural nation, today West Ger
many is the world's third larg
est producer of steel, in partner
ship with the U.S. and Western
European countries.
An economic "pool" of France,
Belgium, the Netherlands and
Luxembourg invited West Ger
many and Italy to join the in
ternational community as the
first step toward a federated
Europe. Has the West created a
Frankenstein or an indispensable
ally by helping West Germany
to rebuild and rearm? Here are
some of the facts.
GERMANY'S STRENGTH
West Germany's population
has swelled by over 10,000,000
refugees since the war. The "im
migrants" have given West Ger
many a vast pool of skilled and
semi-skilled laborers. Unemploy
ment is estimated at less than
500,000.
West German 'production in
1956 is far ahead of prewar
peaks, and in every respect out
strips communist East Uermany.
Last year industrial output
climbed another 14 per cent.
German steel, machinery, cam
eras, automobiles find markets
all over the world, but 75 per
cent of her exports go to part
ners and neighbors in the West
ern European Union.
Six nations of Western Eu
rope supply the U.S. with more
than 85 per cent of all the steel
products this country imports.
Compared with her other part
ners, West Germany has 29 per
cent of the WEU population, 16
per cent iron ore production,
392 per cent steel production
and 53 per cent coal production.
-In the resources of manpower
and raw materials, how impor
tant is West Germany to her
Western European partners?
Would the loss of West Germany
to communism have a serious
effect on Western European
prosperity? Security? What
about the threat of German com
petition to the U.S.? Can West
Germany become too strong
economically? What about West
German role in d e f e n-s e of
Western 'Europe? Are NATO
countries' military forces, un
der command of U.S. General
Alfred Gruenther, important to
the defense of U.S. interests m
Europe? Could we defend West
ern Eurpoe without the German
army? Is unified command a
safeguard against a new Ger
man militarism?
WHAT ARE OUR CHOICES?
Can the West afford to lose
West Germany as an ally? Which
is more important to the U.S.
German reunification and a set
tlement with Russia, or West
German military partnership in
NATO?
As the price of settlement and
German reunification, Russia in
sists on disarming and neutral
izing Germany. This would
mean the East German commu
nist army would be dissolved
and East Germany would with
draw from the communist War
saw Pact. It would also mean
doing away with the West Ger
man army and the removal of
West Germany from NATO.
Should we consider these terms
seriously? Would a united, neu
tral Germany (nearly 70,000,000
people) be an effective buffer
between East and West? ... Or
a dangerous power vacuum in
which communism might flour
ish? Russia wants "conferences"
and "joint committees" between
the East and West German gov
ernments to work out problems
of reunification before free elec
tions are held to choose an all
German government. What are
the dangers in such a procedure?
Why is the West insisting that
elections be held first? If elec
tions are free and supervised
by the UN will it make any
difference to delay them? Should
U.S. policy be more flexible?
If the U.S. and Russia are able
to agree on the major issues
German armaments and elec
tions what position should the
U.S. stake on secondary issues?
On Germany's eastern borders?
The U.S. and West Germany
consider the border with Poland
"temporary" and Russia and Po
land consider it "permanent."
Should the U.S. become involved
in Germany's claims to prewar
territory? What about .Russia's
request for an East-West non-
aggression pact ... is this rea
sonable if it- includes the U.S.
and major European powers?
. . . If it includes only Russia
and the U.S.?
If we reach no settlement with
Russia
Should we continue to press
for German reunification if no
agreement with Russia over Ger
many is possible? How far
should we go? Under what con
ditions if any should we re
sort to force to reunify Ger
many? Should we resign our
selves to a permanently divided
Germany?
If divided indefinitely, how
should we treat West Germany?
Extend her full psrtnersiph in
Western poltiical, economic sad
military life? How d e p 1 y
should we depend on West Ger
many as a military ally? Do we
have any insurance against a
revival of German militarism?
Will the West be able to main
tain a "balance" once she re
builds her army to full strength?
Is there, any . danger that a
strong, fully armed West Ger
many may make a deal with
Russia? Could the U.S. prevent
this?
West Germany is already the
third, largest industrial power
in the Western world (after the
U.S. and Britain). Is there a po
tential threat to U.S. and allied
business? Should we encourage
West German economic develop
ment ... or try to contain it
within reasonable limits? What
if she invades traditional U.S.
markets like America in real
strength?
YOUR OPINION COUNTS
"The "Great Decision" pro
gram is designed to form the
basis for discussion groups on
foreign affairs. More important,
it offers a way to express indi
vidual opinion.
The Great Decisions commit
tee is receiving letters (or the
ballots included in the fact
sheets) to be tabulated. The re
sults .will be forwarded to the
U.S. Department of State and to
our representatives in Congress.
The material presented above
is a digest and condensation of
the fact sheets prepared for use
in the Great Decision program.
Builders Exchange
Building Purchased
Portland (U.R) Sale of the
Builders Exchange Building in
downtown Portlnad to a group
of national building owners was
reported Saturday.
The buyers group is headed
by Melvin Mark of New York.
The group owns several other
major Portland office buildings
and other similar structures in
other parts of the nation.
The Builders Exchange Build
ing between SW 3rd and 4th
aves. on Stark st. has been
owned since end of World War
II by James E. and James A.
Walch.
Man Looks in Wrong
Car; Reports His Gone
Cambridge, Mass. (U.R) A
man's frantic call to police head
quarters Friday . night that
"someone stole my car and my
wife from the parking lot"
brought police on the run.
After a brief search they
found the man's car still parked
in the lot with his wife waiting
impatiently inside.
"I must have looked in the
wrong car," the red-faced hus
band said..
On April 1st, 1956
The Insurance Agency of
ROBINSON - POTTER - SHEPHERD
Will Operate Under the New Firm Name
' of'- -'
ROBINSON-POTTER
RIPLEY
INSURANCE AGENCY
U. S. National Bank Building Phone 2-6288
o
Fire-Automobile - Casualty - Surety Bonds-Life
Sound Advice Without Obligation
Sunday, April I. 1956
Action by Congress
On Ike's Program
Given in Boxscore
Washington (CQ) Here's
a boxscore on how Congress is
treating some major parts of
President Eisenhower's legisla
tive program: .
FARM Passed in differing
forms by both chambers, with
some provisions acceptable to
the President, others opposed by
him; now in conference commit
tee. SCHOOLS Stymied in House
Rules Committee by threat of
anti - segregation amendment
that is opposed by President.
HEALTH Hearings held on
some minor bills and routine
appropriations started; outlook
dim for any major new pro
grams. HOUSING Hearings begun
in Senate, slated in House; De
mocrats pressing for bigger pro
gram than President requested.
SOCIAL SECURITY Passed
by House; hearings in Senate
committe completed; Senate out
look doubtful.
FOREIGN AID House com
mittee hearings begun; consider
able opposition to size of request
and "permanent aid" plan.
IMMIGRATION Hearings
promised but not begun in House
and Senate committees.
LABOR Taft-Hartley revis
ion hearings may be held by
Senate committee; no action ex
pected. HAWAII STATEHOOD Ap
pears dead for session.
POSTAGE RATE INCREASE
Hearings under way in House
committee; less opposition than
before.
HIGHWAY Hearings held in
House committee; action expect
ed after recess.
AID TO DEPRESSED AREAS
Hearings begun in Senate com
mittee on Administration and
Democratic bills.
EXCISE AND CORPORATE
TAX EXTENSION Passed by
House and Senate, sent to Presi
dent.
TRADE House Committee
approved joining Organization
for Trade Cooperation.
(Copyright 1956. Congres
sional Quarterly)
Solar Operated Car
Wins Science Honors
Corvallis (U.R) A model car
operated by solar energy won
sweepstakes honors and a col
lege scholarship for its Beaver-
ton builder here Friday at the
fourth annual Northwest
Science Exposition sponsored by
the Portland Museum of Science
and Industry.
Roger Berg won a $400 schol
arship provided by Mrs. Clare
A. Miller of Portland. Second
place award went to Margaret
Hanna of Forest Grove for her
exhibit of pesticide chemicals.
Best display from Multnomah
county was entered by Joyce
Whiteley of Washington high
school for an exhibit of fresh
water algae. She won a $200
scholarship offered by the Mult
nomah County Medical Society.
Bend JUJ0- Reservoir stor
age in central Oregon is in good
shape.
SO MET
HQTT
i ir
IS GOING TO
SIXTH AND
WATCH
SIXTH
HEDHESDhY
AM L
K A
uj X
GO V
MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE FIVE
Salem -XU.R) The State Na
tural Resources Committee has
been requested to continue its
functions by Gov. Elmo Smith.
HAPPEN AT
BARTLETT
STREET
mm