The European Vacuum
In one of his distraught utterances over last week-end, Dr. Adenauer referred to the negotiations' with Britain and America on a new framework for the restoration of German sovereignty and for a German defence contribution. It would be pleasant to be able to believe that anything as coherent as 'negotiations' was taking shape in the chaos that has followed the rejection of the EDC by the French Assembly. But it would be excessively optimistic. So far as German sovereignty is concerned, it is now clear that the British and Ametican Governments have nothing ready to offer Dr. Adenauer beyond the modified version of the Bonn conventions, less the military clauses, on which a drafting committee has been working since Sir Winston visited President Eisenhower in July. It is equally clear, as is explained by Ernst Fricdlaender in an article on a later page of the Spectator, that this is now unacceptable to Dr. Adenauer. So far as a German defence contribution is concerned. Germany appears to be looking to France, and France is looking to Great Britain, as Darsie Gillie explains on another page of the Spectator. And Great Britain? It acted promptly, by calling an eight-power conference to discuss the matter in London. But that is the best that can be said for it. None of those invited are enthusiastic about the proposal; some because they are pressed for time in view of the forth- coming NATO and United Nations meetings; some because they doubted whether it could serve any useful purpose, unless Great Britain had something more in mind than the simple inclusion of German forces in NATO. Whether the conference does or does not take place, this doubt about its usefulness— and, for that matter, about the motives for the British initiative —must remain.
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