Towards a New Germany
The present economic situation in Western Germany typifies the whole relationship between the occupying Powers and the German people. There has been steady progress ever since the introduction of the new currency. Supplies of almost all goods have been improv- ing. Rations have been increased. It is true that many prices are high and there are numerous hard cases among individuals, but good greatly outweighs bad. But at this very moment, when the transfer of a greater degree of economic control to the German people is becoming a practical proposition, the German Administration has had to be called to order. Having increased certain food prices and taken potatoes off the ration, it has shown signs of wanting to go straight on to remove all economic controls. The fact is that this would not work. Such improvements as have taken place have been due to the assistance of the Occupying Powers rather than to any deep wisdom on the part of the German Economic Council. It is unlikely that those improvements will go on without further assist- ance. And in return for aid the Military Governors require an assurance of fair distribution, which a sudden removal of all controls would certainly not achieve. It will be interesting to see whether this pattern is repeated in the political sphere. The time-table set by the London Agreements, which regarded the setting up of a West German Government by June, 5949, as a possibility, was a hard one. The work is falling behind schedule. The Military Governors have not yet drafted the statute defining their own future powers. Until they do that the Germans' own work of writing a constitution cannot be completed. And that constitution must contain sufficient safe- guards for democratic rule to be acceptable to the Powers. If it does, well and good. If Western Germany succeeds in standing on its own feet economically, well and good. All this will help to mark the contrast with the Russian Zone, the main news from which concerns the strengthening of the police force for the dual purpose of controlling dissatisfied Germans and, no doubt, hampering the Western Powers. But the time has not yet come to leave the future of Germany completely in German hands.
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