Word: germanizing
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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Germany, the key to Europe, presents two major problems which the foreign ministers will have to discuss. If agreement can be found on both or on either, the world will breathe more easily. The first problem is economic: control of German industry and the resumption of trade between the eastern and western zones. The second is political: the future of Germany and the German people. At the present time, the western bloc is trying to work out answers to both problems. The West is in haphazard control over most of Germany's heavy industry and is trying to make...
Even without Russian agreement, the Western Powers could solve a substantial part of the economic problem. They could take German industry completely out of the hands of the notorious private cartels and nationalize it under strict controls. Thus far, the U.S. has been able to prevent nationalization on the pretext that German workers would labor more efficiently for their old masters. If the foreign ministers cannot find a workable arrangement for four-power control of German industry, the West should at least end the present sorry policy...
Ideally, the foreign ministers should decide to give the United Nations power to regulate the German economy for the good of all Europe. A UN commission of economic experts could tell German industry what to produce and where to sent it; a UN commission could state East-West trade flowing first through Germany and then throughout the Continent. But it is unlikely that the four powers will agree on this, at least for the time being. What is more possible is that the two blocs will find it profitable to exchange western industrial products for the raw materials and food...
...question of Germany's political future is decidedly secondary to that of Germany's economic future. Whatever form the government (or governments) of Germany takes, it will not be a strong one. Under either joint or divided four-power sponsorship, the future administrations of Germany by German must be restricted to domestic affairs. There will be no German army, no foreign policy, no control of heavy industry. At the May 23 conference, the western representatives must be prepared to junk the constitution for Western Germany recently drawn up at Bonn. If we are able to agree with the USSR...
...time, the West has drawn closer together, and in Europe, at least, has been more successful than not in the struggle for recovery. But Europe, divided, hostile, and unhappy, has felt little joy at any "victory" for either side in the war of nerves. The re-opening of the German question can conceivably lead to a cautious resolution of East-West conflict in Europe. But if the lifting of the siege is the only development--if the foreign ministers again stalemate--Europe and world peace will be little better off than before...