WELCOMED BY GERMANS

Chronicle (Levin), 17 July 1947, Page 5

WELCOMED BY GERMANS

Received Wednesdav, 7 p.m. - LOXDOX, July 16. German politicians welcomed the new United States directive to Generai Clay as a step towards the restoration of Germany to pre-IIitler status, says the Associated* Press correspondent at Frankfurt. Mr. Ludwig Metzger, chairman of the executive eommittee of the Economic Council of the A nglo- Am e r i ea n zones, said the directive was an obvious step towards readmitting Germany to world economy. Mr. Wilhelm Knothe, chairman oi the Soeial Democratie Party in Hesse said: "It is a new ray of hope for us old-time Demoerats. Just one more slice of bread for hungry Germany will work wonders. " Dr. Joseph Mueller, chairman of the Bavarian Christian Soeial Union, said the directjve would save many Germans from desperation. Fvery German wnuld kncwv . .whi&h-nation.Jiaved them.. • >-•» The Times ; Berlin corfespondem says Generai Clay 's new directive is regarded as possessing special signifi eance. The forthrightness of languagv in which it is phrused is unmistakeable and was doubtless so meant to be by Washington. Those in Berlin who had a chance to read this restatement oi' "basic policies", hold it to be timeiy .ind neeessary. The emphasis through uut on democratie development in the western sense is considered as highly important at a time when eve.ry elfort is being made by Russian sponsored Commuiiists to impose their own minor ity rule on Germany in the interest >f m-ealled political and economic unitv fn its ret'erence to "the re-establish ment of the rule of law in Germany'' ihe new directive is not withou* relevance to arrests and deportatiOns in the Russian sector of Berlin and th zone as a whole. Berliners generai 1\ will welcome Washington 's reassertion of its determination to uphold demo eratic freedom and the rights of tht individual. Latterly, and partieularly since the refusal of the Russians to cooperate in the Marshall plan, much anxiety has been felfe and 6?rpreSsqd that the British anJ Americans mighi be contemplating with d rawai from Berlin. The latest statement will serve — if assurance was really needed — to allay misgivings on this score.