entfernen u.s.w...“ - which you will remember put paid to the attempts by Hoffmann
to find a modus vivendi with the Bonn Government which would leave him
with some position and power in the Saar. I fear that the Bonn Government’s wish
(if such it is) for the Saar Statute to be approved but for the present government to
be replaced by one nearer to Bonn has received a setback in the decision of the
C.D.U. on August 7 to vote against the Statute. If the Statute is approved against
the advice of the C.D.U. (Saar), this party will be discredited and, save in exceptional
circumstances, will not be included in the subsequent government. If the
Statute is rejected - but that is precisely the second question you asked me and
before attempting to answer it I will mention very briefly the attitude of the other
parties towards the Referendum.
8. The C.V.P. is of course in favour of the Statute. The original reasons it gave
were that the Agreement of October 23, 1954 was the earnest of Franco-German
reconciliation and that economic conditions in the Saar would be improved by the
promised tripartite negotiations. Not so much has been heard of the second reason
lately but more play is being made of the „building Europe“ idea. The C.V.P. also
likes citing Dr. Adenauer in support of the Statute and in turn defends him against
those who would imply that he was forced against his will to sign the Saar Agreement.
It also maintains that the Referendum is not a question of voting for Germany
or for France but that in voting for the Statute Saarländers will be supporting
both countries and will be no less German for that.
9. The S.P.S., which is also in favour of the Statute, concentrates on the European
ideal and the avoidance of an atomic war - its latest placard depicts an atomic
cloud with the words „Nie wieder Krieg“. The S.P.S., through the „Volksstimme“,
has reacted far more sharply to the irruption of the German parties on to the political
scene than has the C.V.P. and it is the „Volksstimme“ rather than the „Saarländische
Volkszeitung“ which carries on the press war with the German parties. I
have the impression that the S.P.S. feels that it has most to lose from the competition
of the other parties and that it is therefore more nerveux [sic]. The C.V.P. on
the other hand has adopted the to my mind wise tactic of lying low while the initial
blowing-off of steam was taking place and not attempting to counter all the arguments
put forward by the other side. So far all that it has done is to organise a
meeting of party officials (press not admitted) in Saarbrücken on August 1 when
Hoffmann delivered a speech, later reproduced in full in the „Saarländische Volkszeitung“,
„defending“ Dr. Adenauer and saying that the C.V.P. would itself decide
when to open its referendum campaign, adding that it would then have plenty to
say.
10. The K.P. is opposed to the Statute because it is part of the Paris Agreements,
because it prevents the reunification of Germany and because it will mean the
conscription of Saarland youth in the defence of Wall Street. Members of the K.P.
have tried to lend their support to the D.S.P., bringing brotherly greetings and so on
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