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liberalization of industrial and economic processes, better
working conditions, enlightened renovation of the so-
cailled apprentice system, revamping of the tax structure
to change it from a regressive to a progressive system,
gentine civil service reform, emancipation from archaic
andl restrictive educational procedures at the lower levels
and dangerous reactionary systems at the higher, uni-
versity levels -the exercise of these and various other
true attributes of democracy in its broader scope, together
with greater willingness to redress wrongs of many types,
would go far toward assuring the outside world and all
loo many "die-hards" or cynics in Germany itself that she
is conscientiously dedicated to true democracy.
There are blandishments from the East whtch seek to
le(ol the Federal Republic away from integration with
the West, with all the advantages such integration con-
notes for the new Republic's future. This lure of reuni-
litcition with the East zone is understandably great. No
coLn1hy or people will rest contentedly in a status of
aililicial separation, imposed by fiat and maintained by
intiansigence. The peaceful reunification of Germany
along democratic lines is and continues to represent a
fundamental concept of Allied policy; but not at the
sacrifice of Germany's integration into the West. This
int( gration is a basic necessity for Germany, if her peace
anti freedom and the peace and freedom of the world are
to be assured.
Constituting a unified, neutralized, demilitarized Ger-
muoiiy, in the present state of tension and cleavage be-
tween the aggressive forces of the Soviet orbit and the
peoceful, defensively designed alignment of the West,
would indeed be exposing all Germans -those of the
Fe deral Republic and of the East zone -to a cruel il-
lusion. Just as nature abhors a vacuum in the physical
world, so too would this political vacuum in the center of
Europe enlarge, rather than reduce, the area of potential,
international turbulence.
A SOVIET GUARANTY of the territorial integrity of
such a unified Germany would be a tragic mirage, as
all too many of the satellite states learned to their regret.
Li t us venture the hope that the time may not be long
distant when world-wide demilitarization may be ac-
coinphlished; but until then, the Federal Republic's safety
ant constructive development are inexorably bound up
in her integration into the West.
I his policy was re-enunciated by the Allies and con-
cuetled in by the Federal Republic in crystal clear
lanquage at the recent historic meeting of the three
fo 9ign ministers with the German chancellor-foreign
minister when they declared: "The four foreign ministers
consider the contractual arrangements to be concluded
beiween their governments, as well as the treaties for
the creation of an integrated European Community, as
essential steps to the achievement of their common aim:
a iin fied Germany integrated within the Western Euro-
pe in Community."
N4ay I avail of' the timely opportunity this renowned
forum affords to reaffirm equally lucidly our exact and
C1wavering policy with regard to the Federal Republic's
,JANUARY 1952
Benjamin J. Buttenwieser.
participation in Western defense. Lest there be any im-
pression that this policy encourages or would counte-
nance the re-creation of an independent German army
and an uncontrolled armaments industry, capable of sup-
porting such a self-sufficient army, or the resurgence of
the type of militarism which wrought such havoc on both
Germany and those she fought in two world wars, let me
hasten to dispel any such unfounded fears.
The decent elements in Germany -and these are
fortunately substantial and, I believe, in the ascendancy-
do not want any such baleful developments to ensue
again, any more than do we or any of Germany's Western
neighbors, who still so poignantly remember the results
of their blindncss or negligence in permitting the rebuild-
ing of Germany's military machine under the Nazis.
We welcome German participation in Western defense
and we are seeking to establish a new relationship with
Germany, but not at the sacrifice of the principles for
which we fought or at the compromise of the progress
we have made toward immunizing Germany against the
virus of Nazism or any similar evil. The best safeguard
against such a recurrence lies not in elaborate and often
impractical controls which history has demonstrated are
seldom availed of until the evil is too far developed to
arrest it.
M ILITARILY MORE EFFECTIVE, and politically and
economically more advantageous, is it to amalgam-
ate Germany's productive capacity, manpower and
strategic location into a real European Defense Com-
munity-a community whose      supranational aspects
render it at least as important from a political, as from
a military, standpoint. The fundamental concept of the
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