Evening star. [volume], July 01, 1949, Page B-10, Image 37

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Democracy Can Win
In Germany, but Job
Is Hard, Experts Say
By Norman A. Kahl
Star Staff Correspondent
FRANKFURT, Germany (By
Airmail). — American authorities
most closely concerned with
planting the seeds of democracy
In Germany believe they can do
the job, if they’re given another
three to five years.
They have no illusions about
converting all Germans of all
ages in such a short time. A na
tion imbued for generations with
the precepts of Bismarck, Wil
helm II and Hitler can't be ex
pected to embrace Jeffersonian
ideals overnight. But the Amer
ican officials believe that, given
the proper start, a democratic
movement here will roll along un
der its own momentum.
Actually, the re-education of
this conquered, rubble - strewn
country has just begun. During
fhe first two and a half years of
he occupation, the emphasis was
on feeding the former enemy.
Very little was done about the
German mind during that period
on the sound theory that de
mocracy doesn’t take on an
empty stomach.
3 Divisions Handle Program.
Afterward it was necessary to
bring in the sort of supplies that
-v'ould make re-education possible
—newsprint, textbook paper, ink,
film, radio equipment. In the
last two years the United States
bas sent to the American zone
lere nearly $4,000,000 w’orth of
newsprint and $750,000 worth of
extbook paper.
The reorientation program is
administered by three divisions,
he Information Services Di
ision, headed by Col. Thornton
!. Textor, supervises the setting
p of German newspapers, radio
nations and film companies. Li
- nnses must be obtained by Ger
lans before they may establish
adio stations and movie studios,
at the licensing provision relat
lg to newspapers was dropped
few weeks ago.
The Education and Cultural Re
tions Division is directed by Dr.
' ’onzo Grace. It is this divisioin
at is most closely concerned
ith educating the German people
ong democratic lines. Its fields
iclude music, art, literature and
fiigion. It is responsible for
aining teachers, directing the le
sion of textbooks, conducting
lucational service centers and
■ganizing an exchange program
atween the United States and
. ermany.
Task Is Not Easy.
The Civil Affairs Division, con
icted by Dr. Edward Litchfield,
ipervises the re-establishment of
ivemmental functions, such as
iblic health, welfare work, civil
lerties, civil service, elections
id policing.
Teaching a vanquished people
i live like the unconquerors is no
.sy chore. In the mature Ger~
an mind, 15 years of Nazilsm
•e fortified today by bitterness,
< 'spondency and resentment to
ard the invader. If such a na
Dn can be rehabilitated on the
leals of the Western powers, it
• in can be done through the chil
ren and young people.
It is in this phase of their work
bat occupation officials place the I
highest hope. That is why the
greatest emphasis is being placed
on the proper training of teach
ers—why textbooks are being re
written with scrupulous care.
Hitter’s Spirit Still Lives.
There are skeptics, of course.
There are those who ask: How
can you trust the teachers? Or.
assuming that you can, how much
influence will they have on
youngsters who come from homes
where Hitler and what he stood
for are still worshiped? How can
you make peaceful democracy,
which promises only a long, hard
grind of rebuilding, as glamorous
to the young as some dictator's
dream of rapid conquest and
Aryan glory?
Americans administering the
democratization program are
aware of these pitfalls. They
know Hitler is dead only in the
flesh and that it will take a long
time to drive his spirit out of the
Reich. They know that every dol
lar spent by the United States for
re-education in Germany is a
gamble—perhaps with the odds
against democracy.
But it’s a gamble the Americans
here feel must be taken. With
communism pressing from one
side and the embers of fascism
still smoldering. Germany’s fu
ture doesn't look too bright, from
the American point of view. Yet
there is optimism among Western
occupation officials that democ
racy properly instilled in the next
few years may emerge victorious
from the political struggle that is
certain to come when Germany
finally is left to her own devices.
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•
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Crack Values in
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$6
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/