Price of an Army
The Russian Government's treatment of the East German Government has become increasingly contemptuous in recent weeks. The Chancellor, Otto Grotewohl, explained last week in elliptical but understandable language that the purpose of his recent visit to Moscow had been to receive a reproof from his masters for his regime's shortcomings, but little or nothing has been done since by the Russians to assist him in popularising it. .Rather the contrary. On top of the prisoner of war scandal comes the news that more than $3,000 mn. worth of reparations are still to be made to Russia out of East Germany's current production. This news was served up in such a way as to make it unpalatable as possible. It was represented as a generous concession on the part of Russia, bUt only as a result of some shameless juggling with figure's which involves writing down the value of reparations already paid to an almost nominal figure. According to these latest Russian calculations East Germany is even now only about half way through its reparations payments, but it is quite clear that, since Russia is the only judge of the value of what is paid, reparations can continue to be exacted more or less indefinitely. What concessions are offered for this treatment? The prospect of elections in October is of no importance, since it has now been decided that they are to be conducted on a single list, which means of course a single Communist list. The only palliative that can be discerned is the building up of the German armed forces, which is going ahead on the familiar lines of a " police force " organised on military lines by former Reichswehr generals, and including naval and air units. But even the most rabid Nazi can hardly agree that the pleasure of getting into uniform again is worth the price he has to pay for it. And nobody but a rabid Nazi would agree that the basis of the bargain is to be found on the terms so far stated.
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