 It's time for the Lawn Jean Chronoscope, a television journal of the important issues of the hour brought to you every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, a presentation of the Lawn Jean Wittner Watch Company, maker of Lawn Jean, the world's most honored watch, and Wittner, distinguished companion to the world-honored Lawn Jean. Good evening. This is Frank Knight. May I introduce our co-editors for this edition of the Lawn Jean Chronoscope? Larry Lusser and Winston Bredeff, both of the CBS television news staff. Our distinguished guest for this evening is Jeffrey W. Lewis, director of the Bureau of German Affairs of the U.S. State Department. Mr. Lewis, you're ahead of the German Bureau in the State Department. Are you encouraged by what's happening in Germany today? I certainly am, Larry. When I went into Germany during the war in the army I was then, I saw a nation that was flat on its back. The cities were ruined, the people were starving. When I went back there of just a year or so ago, you have a going concern with a strong, vigorous people ready to make their own mark in the world. Well, Mr. Lewis, I think everyone who has been in Germany recently has been impressed by this vitality of German strength and the sheer power of their revival, and in view of that, what assurance do we have that this German power and German nationalism will not get out of bounds again? Well, I think the strongest assurance we have is the nature and the character of the men who are leading Germany. They are the most sincere, or they are among the most sincere Europeans of our time. They have no desire. They have learned their lesson, if we may put it that way. They have no desire to again engage on an adventure which leads to the disastrous war which they experienced this last time. And as I say, they are sincerely desirous of forming a unified, strong Europe which will help to defend the West against the Russians. Well, Mr. Lewis, do you think the Germans will soon join the European defense community? As a matter of fact, Larry, they already have. They've completed all legislative processes. The only thing that now remains to be done is to clear away, and I think this will occur in a very short time, a caught question as to whether or not the EDC is in accordance with the Constitution of the German Republic. What are the outside obstacles to German rearmament? Well, I think the principal obstacle at the present time is the fear of the French that they perhaps are being faced with too strong a Germany if they join the EDC. I think that the greatest obstacle now to the EDC is the questions in the French mind. And I think that once the French can bring themselves to ratify the EDC, all further obstacles will be at an end. Well, Mr. Lewis, you mentioned that Germany's present leaders are European-minded. What assurance do we have that this leadership in Germany is going to remain in power there? Well, I don't know that anything is dead sure in this world, but I tell you this, that the sincerity of the German leaders is such and the temper of the people as witnessed in this last election is such that I personally am confident that this same general type of orientation will continue. You remember that the election resulted in a very decisive victory for Chancellor Adnauer and for his party. So decisive, in fact, that both parties of the right and the left practically disappeared from the scene. Well, do you see any... Mr. Lewis, this is a pretty iffy question, but what would happen if Chancellor Adnauer died? Well, that is an iffy question. Of course, when you have a very strong personality, such as the Chancellor, it's very difficult indeed to see some of the younger men and see their talents as they are developing. And I feel quite confident that should the Chancellor die, and I certainly hope he does not, there will be other people to take his place and carry on the same policies that he's been pursuing. Well, along the same lines, Mr. Lewis, the neo-Nazi party was very, very badly beaten in the last election a month ago. But do you see any possibility, any danger, any internal political danger in Germany, that there may be some kind of Nazi revival under another name and in some other form? Well, I suppose that there is some danger of that, but again, I take as my proof that this danger is not great what happened in the elections. There, although there had been prior to that time, a fairly strong representation of such parties throughout the country and in the Lander governments, the state governments, it disappeared completely as a result of the election. And I think that this definitely proves that the people, that the appeal of that type of person has diminished as far as the Germans are concerned. Well, Mr. Lewis, are you apparently saying that Germany is without extremism right now, but what is to prevent a democratic Germany from forming an alliance with Russia against us? Well, I think that one thing is that of all the people in Europe, the Germans, I think know what alliance for the Russians can mean. After all, a good deal of Germany is now occupied by the Russians. There is not an iron curtain in Russia in the sense that it is, I mean in Germany, in the sense that it is in other countries. People have relatives as hardly a family in West Germany that doesn't have a relative or members of their family in East Germany. And they know what happens over there, and they know what happens in a country that is dominated by the communists. I think that's the strongest reason why of all the people of Europe, the Germans perhaps know best what it means to be a satellite country. But to go back to the rearmament, why is the rearmament of Germany in our own self-interest? Well, it seems to me that our own self-interest demands that we build a strong Western alliance capable of resisting the tremendous pressure that's exerted by the Soviet Union. You have in Europe, in the center of Europe, a strong people, some 50 million in number, the Germans, the West Germans, highly developed, industrially, very ambitious, very hard-working. A good, solid kind of people. And if you are, it seems to me, if you are to protect yourself in this country, then it is definitely to our interest to build up the strongest possible alliance in Europe. Well, a member of the British Parliament said to us the other day on this Chronoscope program that Germany without an arms burden would be an unfair competitor in the world markets. Do you feel that way too? Well, I think there's a lot to that because after all, with the Germans not needing to devote their industry to the production of armaments, they can produce goods which will sell in the world markets while a good deal of British industry, for example, is tied up in non-productive war armament making. Well, Mr. Lewis, how are we going to prevent, or if you don't like that phrasing of the question, what guarantee do we have that German rearmament will not bring with it a militarist revival as many Frenchmen fear and with that revival a new drive or desire to drive toward the east and revise the eastern frontiers of Germany with Poland and so on? Well, I think that the answer to that lies in the sentiment of the people, the German people themselves, and I speak here not only of the people who voted for the present coalition, but also the opposition. They are very sincerely at the present time, unmilitaristic, they are quite interested in making certain that any future German army will be under the control of civilians, and most of all, they are not interested in having a national army of their own. What they are interested in is contributing their strength to a European combined army. I feel we may be overlooking the Russians right now. Do you think the Russians will actually let the Germans rearm? They seem to fear them very much? Well, of course, that's one of those questions that no one can answer for sure. I believe that the Russians will have no choice but to accept the European Defense Treaty if it is ratified by the participants. I think that the Russians will certainly do their best to delay, to prolong, to confuse, and in general to create as much dissension as they possibly can among the Western European nations. Well, will we agree, Mr. Lewis, to a unified and unarmed Germany? I notice you stressed the unarmed. Let me talk about the unified Germany first. Our terms, or the terms under which a Germany can be unified, and this goes for the West Germans as well, is first of all that it should become about through free elections, through free circulation in all zones of Germany, through freedom of the press, freedom of radio, and so on, so as to be sure that there is in fact a freedom of choice on the part of the people. If that is so, then we feel that we have nothing to fear that the Germans will not, in any significant numbers, opt for a communist form of government. We had evidence of that incidentally, or we had evidence of the strength of the feeling, even in East Germany, in these latest June 17 riots. Well, speaking of those riots, Mr. Lewis, do you think that as a result of what happened on June 17, the uprising throughout much of the Eastern zone of Germany, do you think that as a result of that the Russian grip on their zone is stronger or weaker today? Well, in a sense, I think it's stronger because I think that what the riots showed the Russians, above all else was, that if they were to remain, if their influence was to remain in East Germany, it was necessary to keep their armed forces there. In other words, the communist regime in East Germany proved itself absolutely incapable of handling this uprising, and the Russians themselves, before it was very old, had to step in and do it themselves. So that, in a sense, I think it's probably stronger because the Russians have had to clamp down. The last thing in the world they wanted to do really was to exhibit this show of naked force, but they were forced to, either that or have the situation completely get out of hand. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Jeffrey W. Lewis, for being with us tonight. The opinions that you've heard our speakers express tonight have been entirely their own. The editorial board for this edition of the Laun Jean Chronoscope was Larry Lusser and Winston Burdette, both of the CBS television news staff. Our distinguished guest was Jeffrey W. Lewis of the U.S. State Department. To watchmakers of the old school, such as Laun Jean, pride of workmanship is a traditional attribute of every detail of every operation. In truth, the smallest cog in a watch is as important as the biggest wheel. Pride of workmanship made Laun Jean the world's most honored watch. Honored at world fairs by 10 grand prices and 28 gold medals. Honored at government observatories with countless prices and citations for accuracy. Honored as official watch of leading sports and contest associations the world over. Now, for you who have an appreciation of the fine and the beautiful, the pride of workmanship so evident in every Laun Jean watch makes an irresistible appeal. Our particular message at this time is an important one. If you wish to buy and own or proudly give a truly fine watch, you may select a Laun Jean watch for as little as $71.50 and regardless of the price you pay for that Laun Jean watch, it is made with that pride of workmanship which has made Laun Jean the world's most honored watch. The world's most honored gift. Laun Jean, premier product of the Laun Jean Witton or Watts Company since 1866, maker of watches of the highest character. We invite you to join us every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening at this same time for the Laun Jean Chronoscope, a television journal of the important issues of the hour. Broadcast on behalf of Laun Jean, the world's most honored watch, and Witton or distinguished companion to the world honored Laun Jean. This is Frank Knight reminding you that Laun Jean and Witton or Watts are sold and serviced from coast to coast by more than 4,000 leading jewelers who proudly display this emblem. Agency for Laun Jean Witton or Watts.