Unity Party
alnd the Socialist

"THE Socialist

People’s Party of Germany
(former Communist Party
of the western zones), are

the only two parties in Ger-
many which from the very begin-
ning, have vigorously upheld the
view that the Yalta and Potsdam
agreements must be taken as the
basis for building the new Ger-
man state, ,

The spirit of Potsdam is clear.
The agreement is directed against
German monopoly capital, against
feudal landlordism and against
militarism.

The-Western powers are pursu-
ing a policy that is at complete
variance with Potsdam. Instead

of carrying out the agreement
are carrying out a policy of

they
Sabotage and dismemberment of
Germany. The Western powers,

- gominated by monopoly oe

“e strenuously resisting the set-
ter up of a united, democratic
’ Beginning in “1945, this resist-
ance has obstructed the fusion of
the Social Democrats and Com-
munists into a united Socialist
Party in Western Germany; has
lea to the banning of the Cultural
League for the Democratic Re-
eovery of Germany and the So-
‘cialist Unity Party In the Western
zones; to gagging the press and
numerous other repressive meas-
ures.

e

The policy followed by the
Western powens of systematically
refusing to honor the obligations
undertaken at Potsdam explains
the futility of the conferences of
foreign ministers and has resulted
in the setting up of 4 separate
West German state. Bizonia came

into being and an Economic Coun- _

cil was set up in Frankfurt-on-
Main. The four-power administra-
tion of Germany and Berlin was
completely abolished.
All these separatist measures
were accompanied with false
propaganda to the effect that the
Soviet Union, consistently uphold-
ing the fulfilment of the Potsdam
agreement, was responsible for
dismemberment of Germany.
Matters culminated with the
London Conference of the West-
ern Powers and the Benelux coun-
tries which openly favored unifi-
cation of the Western zones. The

Potsdam agreement was thrown.

to the winds. Moreover, the for-
mation of the West German state
was entrusted to the prime min-
isters of the 11 West German laen-
der and not to the democratic and
anti-fascist organizations,

The relations of the new state
with the cecupation powers will
be regulated by occupation stat-
utes and not by a peace treaty.
This, naturally, gives the Western
powers a decisive voice.

‘The period of occupation con-
tinues indefinitely and the Rubr,

e THE REAL
ISSUES IN
BERLIN TODAY

By OTTO.
GROTEWOHL

Chairman of the
Socialist Unity
- |
Party of Germany

“Which way
for Germany?

vital to German economy, will re-
main subordinate to the Western
powers. An attempt will be made
to change the face of Germany
‘by drawing up new frontiers. The
Ruhr will become a special Ruhr
state. This will bring it under
American control and make pos-
sible its inclusion in the Western
bloc. -

The admission of Dr. Adenauer,
representative of the Christian
Democratic Union in the British
zone, that “the Versailles treaty
was a bouquet of roses compared
to the London agreement,” re-
veals that even the defenders of
the dismemberment policy are in
a bad way.

e

Unlike the London conference
which met to complete the dis-
memberment of Germany, the
foreign ministers of Eastern and
Southeastern Europe met in War-
saw to insist on fulfillment of the
Potsdam decisions. While London
was dismembering Germany and
trying to turn the West German
state into a democratic farce,
Warsaw made its proposals in
keeping with the interests of the
German people.

The behavior of the 11 prime
ministers of the West German
laender is a disgrace to the people
of Germany. Together with the
bourgeois and Social Democratic
politicians these prime ministers
are only too eager to follow the
splitting policy of the Western
powers,

This was made possible because
considerable elements among. the
population of Western Germany
are still under the influence of
the anti-Soviet ideology, implant-
ed by the Nazi regime. But in
the long run this is to be explain-
ed by the fact that the occupation
‘authorities in the Western zones,
supported by the German bour-
geois and Social Democratic poli-
ticians are fostering Nazi anti-
Soviet baiting, combining it with
lies and slander of the worst kind,

This is the key to the striking
fact that while the Soviet Union

favors restoration of German
unity and the sovereignty of Ger-
many, German politicians are

rubbing shoulders with monopoly
capital, with the splitters of Ger-
many and, headed by the Social
Democratic leadership and its

press, are openly demanding with-

drawal from the agreements

signed in Yalta and Potsdam.
e
In the Berlin conflict, it should
be pointed out that the currency
reform introduced by the Western
occupation authorities without
consulting the Soviet Union,
threatened the Soviet zone, with in-
fiation. Hence the issuance of new
money in the Soviet zone was just
as necessary an economic measure
as was the extension of the cur-
_rency reform to Berlin,
ie uke in is the center of the So-
“viet zone and is closely linked
with this zone economically. Co-
operation by the Western powers
in cgrrying out measures con-
nected with the currency reform
proved superfluous in the Soviet
zone and in Berlin, since the gov-
ernments of the Western powers
had, by their separate actions, de-
stroyed the four-power adminis-
tration of Germany and the Con-
trol Council had ceased to func-
» tion.

man state with its capital in
Frankfurt-on-Main precludes — all
possibilities of any further four-
power administration in Berlin.

The Western powers decided to
introduce the new money into
their sectors in Berlin and by so
doing caused confusion in the
capitals economy. The Soviet
government’s statement that it
would take care of supplies for
the entire population of Berlin,
and the necessary. measures taken
in this connection put an end to
the provocative machinations of
“the warmongers,

Until the very last moment the
Social Democratic press insisted

that the Western powers remain .

adamant and prohibit Soviet zone
currency from being circulated in
their sectors of Berlin,

The fact that this hullabaloo
eventually subsided can be ascrib-
ed to the influence of certain offi-
cial organs and the acknowledg-
ment, even by the Telegraf, Social
Democratic ‘organ published in
Berlin, that “there should be a
unif6rm currency for Berlin, re-
gardless of whether it be the cur-
rency of the Eastern zone, the cur-
rency of the Western zones or
any other special currency.”

Telegraf’s statement that Berlin
“should maintain the same econ-
omic ties with all zones of Ger-
many,’ was in contradiction to
what had been written hitherto
by the press hostile to the Soviet

‘Union. - Previously it had been

.

~ ence,

The setting up of the West Ger-

maintained that Berlin should be
included in West Germany and
its economy closely linked to that
of West Germany,

&

The talks which took place in
Coblenz and Rudesheim between
the generals — representing the
Western occupation — and the
premiers of 11 West German laen-
der about carrying out the recom-
mendations of the London confer-
ended with the premiers
agreeing to the dismemberment
of Gerymany.

Quite clearly, it is impossible to
remain deaf to the demands of
a big majority of the German
people who insist on the restora-
tion of German unity.

The response to the People’s
Congress in Berlin and indeed,
throughout Germany, brought
home to the splitters that the
urge for a united Germany is
strong among the people and will
always be counterposed to their
policy. It is not surprising, there-

.fore, that the movement for the

People’s Congress which was sup-
ported by all trends of -political
opinion, and which called people
to the struggle for unity and de-
mocracy, was banned in the’ West-
ern sectors of Berlin. ,

The People’s Council, elected by
the Congress, called upon the peo-
ple to engage in what it describ-
ed as national self-help, and un-
dertook the preparation and pro-
secution of measures designed to
secure a united Germany and the
signing of a just peace. :

Among the measures initiated
by the People’s Council was the
collecting of signatures to a peti-
tion which called for a nationwide
referendum, Fifteen million men
and women, that is, more ,than
one-third of the adult population,
signed the petition which de-
manded a referendum on the

question of the unity of Germany.

Documentary evidence. in the
form of these 15 million signatures
was presented to the Allied Con-
trol Council by the Presidium of
the German Peoples’ Council
which, at the same time, requested
permission for carrying out the
referendum. :

Despite certain differences, the
German Peoples’* Council which
consists of representatives of all
the legal organizations in the So-
viet zone, and of representatives
ef the progressive organizations
in the other zones, will go ahead

with measures necessary for the
building of a united, democratic
Germany, The council has set up
subcommittees which will exam-
ine questions relative to a consti-
tution for Germany, her’ economic
future, cultural development, and
so on,

The constitution sub-committee
has already submitted to the
council certain guiding principles
for the constitution. These prin-
ciples were unanimously accepted
by the representatives of the peo-
ple, and the forthcoming autumn
session of the People’s Council
will debate and decide upon the
new constitution.

‘ \

At the present moment, Ger-
many is experiencing an ever-
growing sharpening of class con-
tradictions and class struggle.

The enemies of Germany's
unity are conducting a smear cam-
paign against the Soviet Union
and the new democracies. But the
policy pursued by the Socialist
Unity Party will, in the long run,
put an end to this baiting, Of this
the members of the Socialist
Unity Party have no doubts what-
soever. They know that for the
people of Germany, close coopera-
tion with the Soviet Union and
the new democracies in Eastern
and Southeastern Europe consti-
tutes the basic condition for the
creation of a united democratic
Germany and of normal condi-
tions of life.

The Two-Year Economic Plan
for the Soviet zone which was re-
viewed recently by the board of
the Socialist Unity Party and rati-
fied’ by the German Economic
Commission, - will increase the
productivity of all branches of
industry. The driving out of the
private party monopolists in the
Soviet zone and the change-over
from the monopoly system to
people’s enterprises, is bringing
about a complete change of atti-
tude on the part of the people to-
wards production tasks. ,

The Socialist Unity Party—the

party of the working class—is

conscious of the difficult tasks
which face it. But it knows also
that it is the sole force which is
capable of overcoming the diffi-
culties. Taking this into account,
and conscious of its responsibility,
the party is anxious to play a lead-
ing role in political and economic
life. s

All one can say to the critics
in the bourgeois parties who still
refuse to recognize that the Social-
ist Unity Party lays claim to the
leading role, is that no other party
has the influence necessary iD
present day conditions to achieve
the 30 percent increase in produc-
tion within the framework of the
Two Year Plan.

Taking into account the magni-
tude of the tasks, the board of
the Socialist Unity Party recog-
nizes the need for ideologically
strengthening the party in the
spirit of Marxism-Leninism,

The forthcoming 30th anniver-
sary of the Revolution of Novem-
ber, 1918, was the subject of dis-
cussion by the board, which reé-
viewed the historical ties of this
unsuccessful revolution and criti-
cally debated its lessons for the
German labor movement. The
board considers it of prime im
portance to acquaint all members
with the reasons that gave ris
to opportunism and pernicious i
fluence.

That is why it has decided t?
carry out a special campaign with
the object of increasing: the @@ _
tivity of the merhbership. A check
will be made of members an¢
measures taken to eliminate exist:
ing shortcomings in the party®
work.

We are confident that, thank®
to the selflessness of the proad

“mass of the membership and th®

strengthening of its organiz@
tions, the Socialist Unity Party
will cope with its tasks and SUC
cessfully realize the democratic
development of Germany.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—OCTOBER 15, 194g—PAGE 4