THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1947. GERMAN PEACE TREATY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26620, 17 November 1947, Page 4

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1947. GERMAN PEACE TREATY

Although the nature of the German peace treaty touches at almost every point the discussions on the future of that country to an extent that makes the drafting of such a treaty a prerequisite to all planning, two years have passed since the end of the war in Europe and still the matter has not been dealt with. The reason for the omission is the failure of the Powers to agree on policy. Agreement has still not been reached ana there are few signs which would encourage a belief that the main problems can be solved in the near future, but the fruits of discord are maturing so rapidly that the nations can no longer afford to delay. Four zone control of Germany was soon found to be an impossible ideal and to-day there is a virtual division of the country. In the East, Russia is firmly set on creating a Soviet state and is already making heavy levies on production to compensate for thfe reparations which the Western Allies will not agree should be a first claim on current German industry. In the West, there is a growing fusion on economic lines between the British and American zones and complete fusion, political as well as economic, and preferably including the French zone, is the next step which must be contemplated if the Foreign Ministers fail to agree when they meet in London later this month. The pattern of the German peace treaty must be basically influenced by the results of this conference. Agreement would considerably facilitate the work of the peace conference, which will be a much more representative gathering, and failure will give urgency to the work of the larger body because the problems of setting up governments in Germany and the stabilisation of currency will not permit of indefinite delay. There are very sound reasons why the peace conference should be called early next year, as Mr Byrnes has suggested—and it is significant that his statement should have been made on the eve of the preliminary meeting of the deputies of the Foreign Ministers. Because of the disagreements between the occupying Powers, it has been impossible, to plan effectively for the reconstruction of Germany. In! two years small progress has been made to lift the nation from its post-war apathy and. the lack of German production has been detrimental to the hopes of general recovery in Europe. Besides' 'this, the .responsibility for keeping the German people above starvation level has imposed a financial burden on the occupying Powers which Great Britain, especially, is quite unable to maintain. So heavy, indeed, has the drain been that suggestions have been made that Great Britain "should face the-.possibility of atotkl withdrawal from Germany. Mr Byrnes is not optimistic that success will attend the meeting of ; the four Foreign Ministers, but he believes that, there ; 'is a , greater chance of Russian co-operation' at the peace conference because continued, obstinacy at that stage would be tantamount to a final declaration that, Russia would isolate herself from the rest of the world. Such a decision would be catastrophic. The meeting of the Foreign' Ministers has been described by Mr Bevin as “.most fateful.” It will indeed be of the gravest importance, but the really fateful meetings will be those for the purpose of drafting a peace treaty with Germany.