Narrow Victory

Chancellor Konrad Adenauer was as cross and jumpy as a baited bear and as busy as a bee at twilight. Reason: Der Alte (the Old One), as West Germans call their indomitable leader, was afraid his C.D.U. (Christian Democrats) might lose a crucial provincial election this week in North Rhine-Westphalia. This is the largest and most important of West Germany's nine states (it contains the Ruhr). Its nearly 10 million eligible voters would only elect 200 new deputies to the state legislature at Diisseldorf, but they were also rendering judgment on how much Konrad Adenauer's popularity has fallen off.

For weeks impatiently resurgent West Germany has echoed with cries that the

Chancellor's rigidly pro-Western anti-Soviet policy has got the nation nowhere, has won neither security nor sovereignty.

Vigorously the old man fought these charges, heatedly denouncing those who were looking, openly or covertly, toward Russia.

United to Survive. Adenauer's Mercedes 300 rapidly crisscrossed the state from Bonn to Miinster; night after night he exhorted political meetings, drawing comfortably large crowds. His message: "Europe can survive only if we unite . . . Soviets seek to dominate us. They try to coax us with trade. Well, an American Congressman has suggested that anyone who wants to go to Russia and promises not to return should be given a free ticket [laughter]. Russia wants our resources and industries. She won't give up until she realizes that Europe is unified and strong force is facing her. Only then can one talk to her . . . Russia will never negotiate with the West until it is united . . . has power. Therefore we must create this power.

"I am convinced that EDC will be ratified . . . Indo-China and Geneva have impressed the Frenchmen, showing them that general insecurity is insecurity for France also. The Geneva Conference shows how dangerous Communists are . . . Every delay in EDC ratification strengthens Communists . . . "Adenauer got a last-minute boost from Churchill and Eisenhower in Washington.

They let it be known that if France did not soon take action on EDC, they would see that West Germany got its sovereignty without EDC. Adenauer told his Ruhr audiences: "We have a right to sovereignty. Through nine years of probation, we have proved ourselves reliable. We have shown that we will go with the West.

National Socialism has disappeared. We have shown ourselves politically mature." Coming Through. This week 7,067,019 went to the polls. When the returns were counted, Adenauer's Christian Democrats led all the rest with 41.2% of the vote.

It was a decline from last year's smashing national victory (49%) but better than the last provincial election (36.9% in 1950). The Socialists--Adenauer's most powerful and vocal opponents--inched up from 31.9% in 1953 to 34-49%-The Communists lost all twelve of their seats.

The Christian Democrats, with their small Zentrum (Center) Party ally, were now two seats short of a majority in the state legislature and would have to seek allies to the right or left to govern.

Though his margin was narrowed, hard-beset Konrad Adenauer had come through.

Afterward he said that France's failure to ratify EDC had cost him one million votes.

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