MORAL OF BERLIN ELECTIONS

Chronicle (Levin), 23 October 1946, Page 5

MORAL OF BERLIN ELECTIONS

SOCIAL DEMOCRATS DOMINANT Received Tuesdav, 7.40 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 22. A closer exannnatiou of the results of Sunday's inunicipal elections in 13erlin, conlirnis the completeness of the Kociui Democrat victory and iSoeialist l.'nity defeat, says tlie Times Berlin correspondent. In all twenly boroughs of greater ilerlin, the >Socinl Democrat!were the leading partv, having in sonu boroughs an absolute niajority. In Zelielendorl' the I'nity parly had onh '5.51 per cent of the total votes, in Gteg litz 7.3 and in Templehof 0.2. Tliesc results are explainalile partly by the iact tliat the three boroughs are iniddle elass districts in the American sectoi which would not be attracted by a predominantly ('ommunist pai'ty like Socijilist I'nity, but even in Ihe working elass W'eissensee i)i the Russian sector, the Pnily party got only 3.1.8 per cent. ''It is an amply and even embarras singly decisive result — enibari'assing l»ofli to Kussia anil to Jlritain, France and America as her colleagues in the joint adminisf ration of lierlin," say: the Times in a leader. "Al'ler Ihe liar mony in Allied relalions in the control :>f J'ei liu, ii fierl.aj)s is unl'ortunate that Ihe G"rnian electorate sliould Jiave had the opportunity oi' recording ho jiointed i. verdiet, yet," the Times adds, "there1 is a inoral in Ihe storv 1'or all Ihe oc •upying powers. The moral for Britain ind America is tlial tlie Gennan Sociai DemOcrats jierliajts won 't always col lapse so l'eebly in face of tlireats as !liev did before lliose of Ihe dennan N'ationalisis and Ililier in 15)32-33. The noral for (lie Russiaiis is plainer still hoiigli it is idle lo express confidenee ha t it will be heeded. Gonirnunisni loes not bow to a niajority verdiet and rvou 't readily take 'no' for an answer. 4 ussia is not itnpressed by the count n g of lieads. Lust vear's Hungaro \iistrian elections were as deeisive reteetions of Coniinunisin • as Ihe Berlin deetion yet their effect was to sharpen ind not moderate tlie Russian policy in hose two eouutries."