Western Germany Plan Threatens To Provoke Crisis

Chronicle (Levin), 9 June 1948, Page 5

Western Germany Plan Threatens To Provoke Crisis

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter,

Copyright)

Beceived Tuesday, 7.5 p,m. LONDON, June 8. The plan for a single Government in Western Germany and international eontrol of the Ruhr, drawn np by British, French United States and Benelnx countries, threatened to provoke a crisis in both France and Germany last night. The Russians in Berlin are expected to boycott the plan immediately and German leaders oi' several parties have already declared their dissatisfaction. In France M. Bidault is expected. to have a hard fight to obtain French ratification and aecording to the Daily Herald's Paris correspondent, it. may be made a (piestion oi eonfidenee by the French Government. Both de Ganllists and the French Communists, he adds, with several groups in between, oppose the plan and are attacking the Government for ''agreeing to the rebirth of German military might'' and tliereby endangering French Security.

Marshal Sokolovsky, Russian commander in Germany, after a day long discussion oi the plan vviih his advisers, was last night reported to have deeided, at'ter conlacting Mosoow, that it nullified all previous agreements 011 Germany and that futnre FourPower cooperation was out oi the (piestion. German political reaction, aecording to the Daily Mail's Berlin eorrospondent, was unanimously opposod to either all or part of the plan with even German groups in the Western Zones voicing strong objections based mainly on the fact that the Germans had not been consulted. Western Germans, the correspondent added, foresaw Russian retaliation. especiallv to the proposal for a Western German Government. Pravda, mnking the first offieial Russian comment on the SixPower agreement. called it "a secret deal for Germany 's dismeinberment" whieh could never onjov international authoritv.