The Sunday Star (October 20, 1946)
Berlin chooses today between democratic ideas of east, west
BERLIN, Oct. 19 (AP) – Berlin voters will choose tomorrow between the Eastern and Western concepts of democracy in an election which one high American military government official said will have “great influence” on the ultimate political destiny of Europe.
For the first time in 14 years, 2,300,000 registered Berlin voters will have the opportunity to cast a free ballot when they pick a municipal government to supplant the one set up by the Russians after they won the epic battle for the heart of Hitler’s Reich.
The Berlin election overshadows district and state diet balloting, which will also take place throughout the Soviet-occupied zone.
Ultimate decision necessary
Lt. Col. Louis Glaser, chief of the Political Affairs Branch of the American Military Government’s Berlin district, viewing the election issue as clearly drawn between the political philosophies of the east and west, said:
“Germany must ultimately make a decision in this respect. The Berlin vote, establishing such a decision, will have great influence upon the ultimate destiny of Germany and therefore upon the political destiny of Europe.”
In Berlin the voting will be for party and not for individuals. The voter cannot split his ticket. These are the parties:
The Socialist Unity Party (SED), an amalgamation of Communists and Social Democrats; the Social Democrats and the two conservative parties, Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Liberal Democrats (LDP). In this line-up the SED clearly carries the banner of the Eastern concept of democracy.
SED has captured majority
In previous community elections in the Soviet zone the SED has captured a majority of the vote. But the SED had material advantages, with its candidate lists placed before a much greater percentage of the electorate and its candidates given more paper for campaign literature and gasoline for its vehicles. It also claimed support of the Russian authorities.
In the other three occupied zones, however, the SED has made a poor showing in previous elections.
In its campaign in Berlin the SED has called for socialization of Berlin’s industry, expropriation of the properties of alleged “war criminals and big Nazis,” but leniency toward the former small fry who wore the swastika. It has praised the present city government as doing a good job in cleaning up the war-ravaged city and has urged its retention.
The Social Democrats and Chris tian Democrats have attacked the Communist-dominated Magistrat (city hall) as inefficient and unrepresentative and has urged a clean sweep in order to give other parties larger representation.
Council to be elected
Campaigning has been heated and the voting is expected to be heavy. The polls will open at 8 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
The voters will elect a city council and borough councils to replace municipal administrations created by the Russians in May 1945 when they were sole occupiers of the city.
Col. Glaser commented that the election “is long overdue – Berlin should have had a chance to pick its own municipal government months ago.”
Special precautions will be taken by the four Allied occupying powers to see that the voting is secret and fair. Ten four-power inspection teams will supervise the ballot places and tour the city to make spot checks.
The Allied Kommandantur has assured Berlin residents that “in the eyes of the Allies all parties are equal,” and Col. Frank Howley, director of the American Office of Military Government for Berlin, advised the German press to tell “all the people of Berlin that the days of the ‘Ja’ (yes) vote and the days of intimidation are past.”
“The occupying powers only urge the people to vote, to think before they vote and then to cast their ballots according to their convictions,” he added.