LONDON e PARIS e MOSCOW e RIODEJANEIRO e PEKING ¢

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United front blocks

By MAX REICH Tribune Staff Correspondent

BERLIN

.A united front has for the mo- ment frustrated plans to give the rulers of West Germany dic- tatorial powers.

It is not a united front of parties, but of all sections of the population against the leader- ship of all three parties repre- sented.in Bonn’s parliament — the two government coalition parties and the opposition Social ’ Democratic Party.

The united front prevented the passage last month of the emergency laws that were sche- duled by the Erhard government for passage before the fall elec- tion. Erhard fears a_ possible election return of the Social Democratic Party as winner might make passage of the laws more difficult, because the so- cialists are more subject to po- pular pressure.

Since the emergency laws change the constitution a two- thirds majority is required for passage. This means without Social Democrats voting for them, they cannot become law.

The new decrees, if passed, would wipe out democratic rights in a country where demo- cracy stands on weak feet al- ready.

The laws would also make the West German army all-powerful.

Government and Social Demo- crats kept the true meaning of the laws from the people. By misinformation many people be-

CHANCELLOR ERHARD . .. his plan misfired

lieved the emergency laws are in case of emergencies like a flood or other natural catastrophe.

Nevertheless enough people realized the truth—that the laws are a decisive step in preparing West Germany for total war. Intellectuals on the one hand and trade unionists on the other, sounded the warning.

-A few months ago it became known that a behind-the-scenes deal was being secretly nego- tiated between the government and the Social Democrats to ob- tain their consent for passing the emergency legislation quiet- ly. News that the agreement had been reached was disquieting.

In the middle of April 215 uni-

The Soviet Union’s newest and largest airport, Domodedovo, 25 miles east of Moscow, is shown in top photo.

a handling capacity of 9,000 passengers an hour. helicopter giving a demonstration at the

shows a MI-10 Soviet Vnukove-2 airport in Moscow.

The air terminus has Bottom photo

Bonn emergency laws

versity professors issued a mani- festo, appealing to the trade unions to bar passage of the laws. This was a decisive step. The recognition by the intellec- tuals of the paramount role of the -workers, was followed by the recognition by the trade unions of the need to combine all opposition in one united force.

It resulted in a conscious al- liance of the intellectuals and the trade unions that stirred people throughout West Ger- many into action.

University professors, stud- ents, writers, journalists, radio and TV commentators and the trade unions consulted, planned and acted together in unison. Trade union representatives at- tended conferences of profes- sors and students attended trade union conferences. Never before had such united action existed in West Germany.

The result of this unity was a first victory for the opposition

of the Erhard government and the plans of the Social Demo- cratic leadership.

At a great “congress for ac- tion” meeting of 1,500 univer- sity professors and students in Bonn on May 30 a trade union representative alluded to Hitler's seizure of power under an “emergency law” and said: “The unions are determined to earn from history and not to permit again a second seizure of pow-

The June 16 debate in parlia- ment was postponed, but sud- denly the government announced that the laws would be voted on a week later, on June 23. On June 23 it was again postponed for 24 hours.

On June 24 speaker after speaker for the government pleaded with the Social Demo- crats to vote for the laws.

Oswald Kohut, member of the Free. Democratic Party, junior partners in the Erhard govern- ment, was the only member who dared to speak up in parliament and condemn the laws. He said:

“These laws are laws to pre- pare war. We have learned no- thing from two world wars and from the nazi emergency legisla- tion. These laws would mean a return to Hitler’s Third Reich. The population is kept ignorant and misinformed on the real meaning of the laws.”

Faced with a determined op- position in the country the So- cial Democrats refrained from voting for the laws and the gov- ernment lost the vote.

In spite of this victory, the danger of dictatorial rule re- mains. Social Democratic leaders are still‘in favor of the laws, and say the vote was only postpon- ed. The government tries to pass the laws piecemeal, in a way that does not require two-thirds majority.

and disruption of the timetable Five ‘main roads from Saigon are controlled most

world record ;

These five Chinese girls recently set a new precls

women parachutists In the 2,000 metres (daytime) group landing with delayed opening. Their record of 2.31 metres Wo% during a contest in Peking. Be

, So around the sworlt

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.

AMERICANS and their South Vietnam puppets admilté week that they were suffering further setback on the groun 0 a massive increase in U.S. terror bombing in the North and of the um Liberation forces . . . Iraq room-mate of a Ghanian stu in Baku four months ago has been charged with “murder F fight” and will stand trial shortly before the Supreme oe Soviet Azerbaijan . . . Publication by the London Daily Exp! i a photograph purporting to show Ghanaian political prisO chains — since proved to be false — was described in ee of Lords as the greatest fabrication since The Times publish i forged letters of Parnell. The picture was in fact a photogt@? prisoners in Togoland in January, 1963, under the old regime

* * *

MAN BITES LION: A man bit a lion on the killing his brother. The brothers, Lucio and Joaqui hunting in Angola when the lion jumped on Lucio and to the ground. Joaquim leaped on the lion and tried to turn, side down. Not having any success with his hands, Joaqu! k the lion to turn over by. sinking his teeth into its nose. Lucie ly slipped free and shot the animal dead.

* ¥: *

INTERNATIONAL P.EN. Club congress in Bled, Y¥8°%9 has unanimously cohdemned the persecution of writers ae and Portugal . . . U.S. Bureau of Mines has started resear@ to mine on the moon. . . New York Times correspondent in is reported that one American helicopter crewman returned tO in the central highlands without a fierce young prisoner © to him. He told friends he had pushed him out of the heli’ about 1,000 feet. When a superior warned him that he is court-martialled the crewman changed his. story. He sal© prisoner has attacked him and had fallen accidentally-

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SOVIET UNION will, if necessary, increase its Vietnam, said Pravda editorially. Stressing the need action by all the socialist countries, Pravda said: “Such must be taken regardless of differences on particular which exist in the anti-imperialist camp.” . . . Item from of West Germany: Krupps have won another year’s extension ¢ 1953 Allied order requiring them to sell their Rheinhaus= mills and coal mines.

aid ro

unl for "act! est!

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BIG ROW developed in Britain over Prince Philip's rem the future of Rhodesia (‘A few years here or there do not Fei has resulted in Britons suggesting that he should shut up © pr policy and stick to polo. Attempting to ignore the storm of Philip played polo at Cowdray Park with Lord Cowdray, On allt six richest men in Britain . . . About 2.000 young Londone" j¢ ed an open-air teach-in in Trafalgar Square organize tional Youth Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

* x * ji 0,

HALO SUN, a horse sold as dogs’ meat three years ah won Australia’s Grand National hurdle race and a

$7,000 . . . Drought in the virgin land regions of North fro

is expected to have a serious effect an the grain harvest 2

area ... Johannesburg anti-government newspaper Rand a

has called for a top-level judicial inquiry into conditions © African prisons.

July 23, 1965—PACIFIC TRIBUNE