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they were living in the most pros–
perous and freest Germany ever.
He hit a responsive chord among
people who have never had it so
good.
As one deputy in M r .
Schmidt's Social Democratic Par–
ty (SPD) said, "The German
wants bis peace and quiet. He
wants to enjoy his family, his
home, his hobbies, his holidays
and his car- and woe bet ide any–
body who tries lo curb his motor–
ing enjoyment by imposing speed
limits."
Not long ago, Chancellor
Schmidt, out of concern for oil
suppl ies, to say nothing of human
safety, gingerly toyed with the
idea of imposing speed
limits on the
Autobahn–
en,
the intercity express–
ways where life in the fast
lane races by, unregu–
lated, at 90 to 100 miles
per hour-almost double
the U.S. speed limi t of 55
miles per hour. There was
such a rumble of discon–
tent to Mr. Schmidt's
tria! balloon that the S PD
leadership dropped the
idea, fearing that their
government might even
collapse over the issue.
As a result German
motoris ts- considered
the most aggressive in the
world- pay scant atten–
tion to the strictly adviso–
ry signs that vainly im–
plore drivers to go
"nicht
COLORFUL CAMPAIGN POSTERS
helped draw
out nearly 90 percent of West German voters in
national elections, October 5, 1980. The sma/1
Free Democratíc Party, picture right, csmpsigned
strongly for each voter's "second vote." Leftist
students, right center photo, characterízed
conservative candidate Franz Josef Strsuss as a
danger to West German democracy. Strsuss
figure, in Bavarian costume, erad/es nuclear
weapons in his left hsnd, club labeled "po/ice
state" in his right. The opposition CDU, bottom
right, urged an end to socialism engendered by
Chancellor Helmut Schmidt 's Social Democratic
Party. The SPD, in turn, clsimed that Mr. Strsuss
was suitable for sheriff ("but only in the U. S.A.
p/ease") not chancel/or. (Mr. Strauss was in
Texas earlier in the year.) The SPD further
claimed, center left photo, that only it could
provide s secure future for Germany.
Photo! by Gene HoQberg- PT
schnel/er a/s 1
30"- not
faster than 130
kilometers per hour (80 mph).
Of course, along with the fast life, have
come the plethora of modern social ills,
from alcoholism to drugs to unbelievable
openness with regard to sex. For example,
so-called sexshops- pornography parlors–
abound in major German cities.
Apace with the rest of the modern world,
there has been a marked decline in the
stability of German homelife. J ust before
the election a Roman Catholic "bishop's
letter" was circulated to all congregations in
the count ry. The missive was cri t ica! of the
Federal government's encouragement of
easier abortion and divorce laws. (Mr.
Schmidt was furious over the church's al–
leged "intervention" in politics.) Par tly in
December 1980
Am
5.0ktober:
Den
Sozialismus
stoppen
CDU
wihlen
3