SCORE ELECTORAL VICTORY
COLOGNE -- Panic is evident among the German Christian Democrats. The stock market in the Federal Republic of Germany even shows considerable nervousness. The cause was the victory of the Social Democrats in the municipal elections in.the biggest "Land," the densely populated Northrhein-Westfalia and the headway it has registered in Lower Saxony.
In Northrhein-Westfalia, the vote for the Social Democratic party [SPD] rose from 40.7% in 1961 to 46.6% (3,906,000), The Christian Democratic Union [cDU] fell from 45% to 43, 1% (3,610,000). The Free Democratic party [FDP] dropped from 10.2% to 8%. The small splinter parties got less than 1% each.
Perhaps the most spectacular decline was experienced by the German Peace Union [DFU -- Deutsche Friedensunion] which seeks the Communist vote [the Communist party is outlawed and cannot run can-
didates itself]. In the Ruhr valley, the industrial heart of Germany, the DFU obtained only 21,582 votes, a bare 0.3%. In the thirties, the German Communist party mustered millions of votes. . .
In 10 of the 16 big towns in Northrhein-Westfalia, the Social Democrats won an absolute majority. In rural districts, on the other hand they made relatively little progress,
The vote in Lower Saxony showed the Social Democrats moving up from 38.8% to 43.2% (1,485,000). Gains were also registered by the Christian Democrats, from’ 28. 2% to 37.5% (1,287,000), and the Free Democrats, 6.9% to 9. 2% (314,000). The gains: for the latter two parties stemmed from defeats suffered by the-extreme right,
' There is no doubt that the Social Democrats moved ahead more | because of the failures of their adversaries than because of the ir own policies.
The government coalition of Christian and Free Democrats has alienated many voters. The abolishment of certain measures designed . to protect tenants from landlords cost the two parties something in popularity. Chancellor Erhard's accusations that inflation is caused by consumers who are not "sober minded" angered working-class voters. Clashes between the extreme right wing of the government parties, headed by Franz Josef Strauss, and a “middle of the road" wing led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Schréder also injured the Christian Democrats. At the same time, Willy Brandt, the Social Democratic mayor of West Berlin who is considered to be the main architect of the agreement to open a breach in the Wall, has won popularity for the SPD, :
It is still too early, however, to predict a victory for the Social Democrats in the federal elections scheduled for the fall of 1965. The government will counter with a series of social concessions during the coming year. Among these are a special allowance of DM 40 Lone Deutsche Mark = $.25] a. month for each child that continues to go to school after passing the age of fifteen; an increase in old-age pensions; measures to further the "accumulation of property" by workers; improvements in health insurance for workers, etc.
The Social Democrats have scheduled a congress for November which will issue an election platform. Up to now, it does not. appear that the leaders intend to offer planks designed to inspire the working-class electorate that brought them victory in the municipal elections in Northrhein-Westfalia and in Lower Saxony.
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