United Europe Herr Friedlaender then suggested that the future of
the Sala depended on the development of a United Europe. Dr. Adenauer agreed. " With the coming integration of Europe the Saar problem will by itself lose its poison. It is regrettable that the problem is still poisonous, but that is no reason for calling a European strike. Exactly the opposite is necessary. The strongest policy for a United Europe is also the best Saar policy. DifficultieS in the Saar are no argument against the speedy ratification of the treaties for a United Europe. That must, said Herr Friedlaender, hold good for France too, 'but it seemed that in France opposition to the European Defence Community had been growing recently, and that there was to be no early ratification in Paris. Dr. Adenauer said : know these difficulties very well. But the most important event in European politics at the moment belongs to neither Paris nor Bonn. It is something that, is being done quietly the deliberations of the committee for a European constitution, which is working until March on a political union of Europe. It does not evoke newspaper headlines, but it is much more important than Saar discussions or events in Cairo. History is always more important than day-to-day politics. This com- mittee marks a new stage in European history." Herr Friedlaender asked if a European parliament were ill sight. Dr. Adenauer answered that this was not only possible but probable. " We are much nearer a European political union than is generally thought." Herr Friedlaender prompted : " When you say ' Europe ' you mean ' Europe of the Six ' "• and Dr. Adenauer said : " At the moment a greater United Europe than that of ' the six ' is not on the political horizon, If England, and Scandinavia with her, will not take part, for well-considered reasons, in a European federation, and yet gives this federation her blessing, it cannot be the task of thc Continental European to persist in the unfruitful `not without England ' attitude. ' Little United Europe ' is preferable to ne united Europe. Moreover the union of one part does not any way mean a rift in the whole. Continental integration will go hand in hand with closer relationships with States that do not wish to belong to the federation." Then the European movement aimed, Herr Friedlaendct said, at a constitution for Europe, a European alliance and European parliament ? Germany aimed at that, Dr. Adenauct said. I am no dreamer. Very real considerations lead me to think that a United Eurbpe is the most important task and the only hope of the present generation of Germans. We call wreck this hope, and then it will not be offered again for a very long time. Europe, and not only Germany, would then fall back into an age of nationalism. Everywhere evil spirits of the past are bestirring themselves, and only a United Europe can exorcise them."
Herr Friedlaendir asked Dr. Adenauer to define " real con- siderations." Were they matters of foreign policy and military matters ? The Chancellor said : " Those, too, but not only those. I have said before that United. Europe must be created even, if there were no Soviet danger. Take the social problenl alone. I do not much hold with the words ' capitalism' and ' Socialism.' They no longer have a definite meaning. But 0 capitalist United Europe would today be incomparably more ' social ' than separate Socialist States; for the social tasks can no longer be performed in a narrow national framework. Thus it is much more important to create a democratic Europe-' never mind under what political banner—than to carry out in any separate State the programme of any particular party. In this deeper sense the formation of United Europe is a task above parties. Unfortunately all politicians have not yet grasped this."
In the New Year, Herr Friedlaender said, a European con- stitution might be in sight, and with it a European parliament. Dr. Adenauer answered that when that happened " a new wind will come into European sails. The French vote on the European treaties may fall differently then from what one feared, since various French parties have- made it a condition that the European defence union must have a political foundation."
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