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WEST GERMANY
(Continued from page 6)
Germany should decide for itself
whether or not to go along with
American decisions. This figure is
9 percent higher than it was in
1980.
In addition, nearly one out of
every two Germans questioned m
HOLLAND
BatUing Two
Sicknesses
Heavy deficit government spending
during the past 1
O
years and the
intolerable burden of its social
security system- together they
gobble up about 65 percent of the
national income--<:ould bring Hol–
land's entire economic system and
government machine to a grinding
halt, unless something is done
quickly.
But the Dutch are very much
divided on how to get on the right
track again. Professor Rathenau, a
BRITAIN
Divisions and
Dilemmas
The Royal Wedding July 29, 1981,
produced a fairy-tale day for all of
Britain- and much of the rest of
the world. For just a moment in
time the worst riots in living mem–
ory in Br itain faded well into the
background. But as the wedding
crowds dispersed, Britons were
forced once again to face the real
world.
Britain is no longer safe from
serious social problems. Take
immigration as a case in point.
Surely, many thought, the British
genius would succeed where other
much younger nations had failed
miserably. The world would be
shown how British tolerance, good–
will and fair play would erect an
almost utopian multiracial society.
1nstead carne riots, not unlike those
January 1982
the survey (48 percent) expressed
that they would rather come under
Communist rulership than be
involved in nuclear war in order to
defend democracy. American offi–
cials have openly criticized this
"better Red than dead" syndrome
in Germany and elsewhere in
Western Europe.
If relations between the United
States and the Soviet Union contin-
leading scientist, spoke of their
di lemma as the "Dutch malady."
One symptom of this Dutch malady
is the existence of more than a doz–
en discordant political parties.
This malady is not the same as
the other Dutch disease, now being
termed in the Western countries as
the "Hollanditis."
It
is a strong
tendency to become the leaders of
anti-American ism, anti-NATO,
antiarmament, and last but not
least antiatomic energy.
Holland's problem is .a combina–
tion of circumstances and national
characteristics.
lt
is an undeniable
fact that the Dutch, being a small
nation, have a tendency to defend
the underdog. They were the
that have afflicted the U.S. and
Third World countries like Burma
and Sri Lanka.
Britain's sagging economy cer–
tainly aggravated the social disor–
ders. Unemployment has now risen
to near!y three million people,
resulting in widespread lack of
faith in the economy and its politi–
cal managers.
Po litical Chaos?
The potential for deep political
divisions in the United Kingdom is
even more disturbing than riots and
unemployment.
The Labour Party was the first
to suffer the political repercussion
of an unstable economy. Failure to
persuade the trade unions to adhere
to a sensible incomes policy drove
Labour ' s Jim Callaghan from
Number Ten Downing Street. But
in the aftermath of his own resigna–
tion as Labour Party leader, the left
and right wings of the party began
a pitched battle. It resulted in the
ue to worsen in 1982, German–
American relations are likely to do
the same, in spite of the average
German's definite preference for
America over the Soviet Union.
The only alternative Germany
and its European allies have is to
seek a purely European solution to
the problems and threats facing
them today.
- Víctor Root
staunchest supporters of the Hun–
garians in 1956, even boycotting
the Olympic Games in 1956
because of Russian participation .
They were the staunchest support–
ers of the Israelis in 1967. They are
now the staunchest supporters of
the antiapartheid movements di–
rected against the white South
Africans, many of whom are of
Dutch origin.
Sorne believe that Prime Minis–
ter Andries van Agt can turn the
tide of the Dutch malady. But it
might already be too late for that,
and this in turn could have grave
consequences for the rest of
Europe.
- Johan Wilms
birth of a brand new party, the
Social Democrats.
It
is primarily composed of a fac–
tion of Labour' s right wing that felt
it could no longer endure the more
extreme elements of a decidedly
left-wing platform. That platform
calls for intensive nationalization of
industry at home, and virtual poli t-
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