Berlin and the West A few more trimmings have been
added to the East German Republic in the last week ; it is to have an ambassador in Moscow and its worst-fed citizens are to be a little better fed. But the general atmosphere is one of "jam tomorrow," meaning elections and an end to rationing in 1950 and, it is generally expected, some form of peace treaty and a considerable thinning out of the Russian occupa- tion forces. But these ultimate rewards arc still only hinted at, and until they become realities there is little in the Eastern Republic to arouse envy in the West. All the same, by the very fact of its existence, the Republic is bound to encourage a somewhat competitive spirit in the West, both among the representatives at Bonn and among the Allies. Fortunately there are no signs yet that the Allies are prepared to indulge in any competitive courting of German public opinion, and on the two most controversial issues, dismantling and Berlin, their discretion tends to be over-zealous. It is true that the agitation to incorporate Berlin as the twelfth Land of Western Germany has died a natural death, since, for various reasons, it is not desired by Dr. Adenauer, but the urgent need to revive the capital's economic life is only enforced by its political exclusion from the West. Once again the economic debate centres on the bitter subject of dismantling, for the decision to go ahead with dismantling the Lorsig works in the French sector of Berlin can only aggravate the acute unemployment problem o. the capital, and, if it is pro- ceeded with, any plans to revive Rerlin's economy will be treated with natural scepticism. The Froblem of dismantling has all along been distorted by political considerations, but in this particular case political and economic consideraticns conspire equally to make the Project unwise. To end it now.::. 411d still clear the air.
