SPD
APPROVES .TALKS WITH SED
Frankfurt
The congress of the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands - [SPD -~ the Social Democratic party of Germany], which was held in’ Dortmund June 1-5, placed its stamp of approval on the "new look" designed for it by Willy Brandt, mayor of West Berlin and the party! ‘Ss leader.
To everyone's surprise, the SPD agreed to the proposal of the Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands [SED -- the Socialist Unity (Communist) party of East Germany] to exchange views at a public round table. In July -- if all goes well -- the three top SPD leaders will sit down with the SED leaders in the Karl Marx Stadt and later the SED leaders will return the visit, ‘coming to Hanover, one of the SPD strongholds in West Germany. a
The new turn has undoubtedly helped allay unrest among the ~ ‘rank and :file:caused by the defeat.in the 1965 elections and the puncturing: of. the: illusion that the SPD.could win power along the electoral road from the governing. Christian, Democratic. and’ Liberal. coalition. A good deal of disappointment was evident, particularly ~ among those who thought that power could be won in Germany by eliminating every hint of the party's socialist past and reshaping the party in the pattern of the American ‘two-party system -- offerconservative. capitalist government.
The initiative taken by the SPD in foreign: policy and in the direction of ‘East. Germany seemed to open a new perspective. And ‘so criticism has died down... . But what is: ‘the: real: content of the new turn? 7
All those seeking to. win concessions for the Germans in East Germany through direct -- even if very timid -- contact with the East German regime have been stirred by recent events. They fear that an extended period of "peaceful coexistence" between the: | Soviet Union and the United States will isolate Germany. They fear that tensions in Europe might drop and that with the pressure off, Moscow will not grant concessions with regard to the German problem.
. On the other side of the border, the Communists in East Germany look hopefully at any ‘opportunity to break out of their isolation on the chance that this ihight end with international | recognition of their government.
Washington is interested in stabilizing the situation in western Europe in order to free its hands in Asia, ‘particularly in Vietnam. The SPD has lined up with this policy emanating in Washington even though it contradicts thé previous policy enunciated by John Foster Dulles; namely, rolling back "Communism, " especially in East Germany.
The SPD, which gave up the fight years ago against German
rearmament, even approving: joint. nuclear armaments in the name of "equality," has now officially declared that nuclear arms are not desirable for Germany. The switch is intended to help Washington get an agreement with Moscow against. the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
A small but vigorous opposition at the congress wanted to expand. the "talks" between the Social Democrats of West Germany and the Communists of East Germany, including people below the top leadership level.
willy Brandt did not like this. He said he does not intend to "ride the tiger of the people' s front. "
It would certainly be incorrect ‘to call this a "left turn." But the new look, which is also marked by a somewhat more liberal climate in the party. might open up opportunities for the forces in the left wing which have had to maintain silence or face expulsion (as has happened to. socialist students and many intellectuals).
. One of the openings may well occur around the pressure mounted by the unions against. projected antilabor "emergency" laws which the SPD Teadership has approved with some embarrassment.