RUSH TO SET UP RIVAL GERMAN GOVERNMENT

Chronicle (Levin), 6 October 1949, Page 5

RUSH TO SET UP RIVAL GERMAN GOVERNMENT

(N.Z.PA.—

Reuter.

Soviet-Sponsored Council To Become Provisional Chamber

Copyright)

I Received Thursday, 10.5 a.m. i BERLIN, October 5. The Soviet-sponsored German People's Council has been called to meet in Berlin on October 7 to transform itself into a "Provisional Lower Chamber" — Eastern Germany's reply to the lormation of the West German Government at Bonn. - The decision to call the People's Council together was taken at a meeting tonight of the Presidium of the People's Council and leading members of the "bloc of democratic parties in the Soviet zone."

A communique state'd: "The formation of a separate Western German State, the Occupation Statute, dismantling operations which are contrary to international law, the refusal of a peace treaty and control exercised hy the High Commissioners down to such questions as barter treaties between East and West Germany revealed that a serious national emergency has been brought about in Germany by the dietatorial policy of the Western Powers. "To safeguard the national interests of the German people by national self-help the third 'German Peoplejs Council,' which Was elected hy the third German People's Congress on May 30, 1949, is hereby requested to declare itself a Provisional Lower Chamber under the articles of the constitution adopted by the People's Congress and • Council, and to create a constitutional Government of the German Democratic Republic. The Presidium of the German People's Council has decided to convene the council in Berlin on October 7. Tonight's meeting of the council and members of the "bloc of democratic parties" took place in the former Nazi Propaganda Ministry in Wilhelm Platz, in the Soviet sector, and was attended by all the top Soviet zone political figures. The resolutioh was passed unanimously. Informed West Germans said that the Soviet-backed Socialist Unity Party leaders had submitted the names of the proposed 14man Cabinet to the various political groups in the Soviet zone early today for approval.

„ Under their plan, the Socialist Unity Party would hold eight posts, including such key positions as- Chancellor and the Ministries of Juslice, Interior and Economics. Ohe portfolio would go to the Liberal Democrats, one .to the National Party, one to the Peasants' Party and three to the Christian Democrats. Professor Hermann Kasther (Liberal Democrat) was listed as the nominee for President. Herr Otto Grotewohl (Socialist Unity Party) was named as Chancellor and Herr Georg Dertinger (Christian Democrat) as Foreign Minister. The inclusion of a Foreign Minister is regarded as a significant move by the Russians. Allied i officials interpret it to mean that the Russians may give their handpicked Government much wider power than the Bonn Republic, with full Ambassadorial contact with ' the Kremlin alongside the Eastern satellite countries. The Bonn Republic does not have a Foreign Ministry, this function being reserved for the Western Occupation Powers. The German People's Council consists of 400 members, of whom 300 represent the Eastern zone of the Soviet' sector of Berlin, and 100 the Western zones and West- i ern sectors of Berlin. Its inner ; Presidium, which acts as executive Cabinet, has 29 members. Its chairman is> the Communist leader, Dr. Wilhelm Pieck. Dr. Pieck is also joint chairman, with Herr Otto Grotewohl, of the Socialist Unity Party formed by the fusion of the Communists and. Social Democrats.