THE EAST GERMAN FACADE
The name of puppet is rightly assigned to the new Government. None the less it is definitely a government of a kind, and its existence will have certain effects. Whether its creation can be said to accen- tuate the division between Eastern Germany and West may be doubted ; the iron curtain was all but impenetrable already. It gives a certain show of specious legality to this formal extension of Russia's sphere of patronage, for Eastern Germany will no doubt enter into the same relationship with Russia's satellites as they have contracted with one another. And an attempt will certainly be made to shake the allegiance of adherents of Bonn. Russia is already foreshadowing various ameliorations, such as the withdrawal of all or a great part of her occupation troops. The British, American and French troops remain in Western Germany, and arc actually at the moment holding manoeuvres thcrc. Thc contrast may possibly provide material for agitators, though it is certain that responsible West German leaders would rather the Allied troops stayed for the present than went. The one lesson to be drawn is that everything must be done by the Western Allies to strengthen the Bonn Government and make CO-Operation with it constructive and harmonious. The dismantling Controversy still compromises relations, and the inexplicable declara-
tions by the American High Commissioner, Mr. McCloy, this weel must make a difficult situation more difficult still. But formal per- mission has just been given to the Bonn Government to appoint its own representatives on the Council of 0.E.E.C., and it is very much to be hoped that when the Committee of Ministers and the Council of Europe meets next month a further step will be taken towards asso- ciating Western Germany with Strasbourg. That way lies the best answer to the manoeuvres in the East.
