862.00/4–646: Telegram
The United States Political Adviser for Germany ( Murphy ) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 6—6:22 a.m.]
966. Anti-merger SPD group has applied for permission to hold in American sector the April 7th City Convention referred to in last paragraph my 957, April 5, 4 p.m. In granting this permit, Colonel Howley54 announced at April 5 meeting of Kommandatura deputies that General Barker55 had approved a meeting requested by certain [Page 717] SPD members from American sector, at which members from other sectors might appear, and that this action and announcement were being taken with a view to aiding in promotion of common Allied supervision and control over political activities in Berlin.
This announcement was made with the aim of helping bring whole question of quadripartite control of Berlin political parties, including proposed SPD–KPD merger, into Kommandatura for discussion, which to date has not faced this question. This will also be the first important city-wide political meeting held outside Russian sector.
Anti-merger SPD group feels that Central Committee’s latest declaration, reported in penultimate paragraph my 956, April 5,56 marks further and final effort to prevent democratic discussion and settlement of merger issue, indicating as it does that only pro-merger delegates will be admitted to city and so-called national conventions scheduled for April 13 and 19 respectively.