Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1945, European Advisory Commission, Austria, Germany, Volume III

740.00119 Control (Germany)/9–2545: Telegram

The United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy) to the Secretary of State

Berlin, September 25, 1945—9 p.m.
[Received 9:30 p.m.]

618. Reference Dept’s telegram 507, September 19. Following comments appear pertinent in connection with Dept’s helpful suggestions for holding elections in American zone:

1. We are pushing with all possible speed towards the earliest introduction of practical democratic processes in Germany. All plans, however, are retarded by the complete disorganization of German life including communications and transportation. Under the adverse conditions therefore, the drafting, submission, and approval of codes for the Laender and the organization of election machinery cannot be completed in time to hold elections before January at the earliest. Organization of political parties in most parts of US zone is still tenuous and preliminary, and it would appear desirable to allow an interim of three or four months for further organization and political education and for more discussion among the Germans of political issues involved. Reports indicate a continuing state of political apathy, which it would be desirable to overcome before holding elections.

2. I thoroughly agree with Dept’s opinion that simultaneous elections would give a better composite picture of political outlook of German population. However, it would seem unwise to have elections in urban districts held in midwinter or early spring when food, fuel, and shelter conditions will probably be very bad, with resulting undesirable political tendencies. These effects will be less marked in rural population. Foregoing considerations led to decision to postpone Stadtkreis elections until late spring.

3. No policy has yet been decided upon in the matter of suffrage qualification, pending submission of proposed election codes by Laender. Present thinking tends toward grant of franchise to transients, however. So large a proportion of population falls into transient category that disqualification would result in disenfranchising unfairly large number of Germans. Until conditions permit establishment of legal residence by hundreds of thousands of refugees, it seems fairer to permit all otherwise qualified adults to vote. Suffrage should be on the most democratic basis possible. As for excluding from the suffrage persons liable to arrest or removal from office, the Civil Administration Division of US Group Control Commission [Council] takes the line it would be impracticable to carry out such process at the polls as it would involve examination and investigation of every individual voter. The only alternative would be to exclude all members of the Nazi Party and this would disqualify large numbers of purely nominal Nazis without adequate justification.

4. Possibility of using proportional representation methods is, of course, being explored. It is pertinent to point out, however, that proportional representation favors growth of many parties. By preventing predominance of one party, it almost forces formation of political coalition or bloc, which is the very result we seek to discourage. All sides of this question will be given further consideration.

5. I shall be very glad to present our plans to the other occupation authorities and seek correlated action in other zones. The complexities of the question and certain differences of views of Four Powers are of course obvious to Department.

Murphy