movement in West Germany.
Social Democratic Party (SPD), and the relaThe defeat of the Democratic Government organised by the Christian Democrats and the liberals last October has to the political situation becom ing much more fluid.
Now wally Democrats and unionists find it easier to align themselves with the peace movement.
The positions of the SCHOCIaLS emocrats have been forced to shift. When Helmut Schmidt headed the SPD Government he interpreted the NATO decisions on intermediate range nuclear weapons as meaning *deployment of the missiles as a means of pressure in negotiations.
The SPD leaders have now out with the position of negotiations THE EXPULSION of up to one and a half million growth and political importance of the peace Below Angela looks at the attitude of the tionship between the peace movement and the so that deployment will not be necessary'.
Egon Bahr, one of the architects of the SPD's policy towards Eastern Europe, has accepted the position that Schmidt rejected when W21s chancellor. agrees that French and British nuclear weapons should be balanced against Soviet missiles.
This corresponds with the OT the Andropov proposal.
These factors will add to the strength and impor tance of the West German CDCaCC movement. But it still suffers from the ups and downs of the working class fightback GerUntil now the peace movement has been coordinated nationally by an Action ported by about 800 dir- Conference ferent groups. It does not include any national union support, only individual trade unionists.
With few exceptions Ine Irst response of the unions to the peace moveWas very hostile. They denounced it as being manipulated by Communists. Fiasco SCOULSC to the 'Krefeld Appeal' which two and a half million people signed, German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB) launched its own petition to split the campaign. The move ended in fiasco, as the DGB itself admitted.
DGB's youth organisation was forbid den to take part in last al-assue. demonstration in Bonn An avalanche of counter resolutions and demands set off an extensive discus sion in the DGB This led to increased participation local organisations peace activities and to the 'basically suppormassive Reagan demonstration The West German ruling class is not prepared to give an inch on the missies unless the US does first. If LUCI Democrats hold onto the Elections the NATO plans for installing cruise and Trident missiles will go ahead.
More than ever, the support of the workers movement is vital to stop the missile madness. The missiles are planned to be installed by the end of this ycal Mass demonstrations on their own won't be suf ficient to stop them. Trade will be crucial.
Aim Individual trade union bodies have already adopted resolutions calling for strike actions. But these would be political strikes, which are illegal in West Germany.
To carry out UNSCOTE of action require considerable militancy guts to confront the whole political situation here.
The Gruppen Internationalen Marxisten (West German SCCUOI the Fourth proposing a campaign in the factories and union. for a five minute 'warning' strike at the year, and for a massive demonstration in the autumn.
We will also push for the democratic and permanent coordinating committee of the anti-missiles movement.
stability capitalist European ally of the This role has now been challenged the cumulative effects of the worsening economic crisis; the growing fight against the bosses economic of fensive and the mass movement against the wa drive and the missiles On the party politica front we have seen the collapse of the Democratic and liberal coalition after 13 years of government. has been a dramatic rise in support for the Greens and developments of movements which epreDemocrats and towards the left.
These all add up to the beginnings of political in stability The West German anti-missiles movement shows up starkly the growing political contradictions inside the West's Atlantic Alliance.
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For almosi thirty years West Germany was a pillar Europelty win the calet