Erler States Germany Must Get Fair Treatment on Atomic Arms

The deputy chairman of the German Democratic Party last night warned that the United States should give nuclear weapons to Germany if it decides to give them to other Western nations.

At the first Jodidi Lecture, Frits Erler told his Sanders Theatre audience that discrimination against a single nation would lead to feelings of nationalism and frustation like those which fed Hitler's popularity after World War I.

However, Erler said he did not favor providing Germany with nuclear weapons, but preferred that all such weapons remain in the hands of the United States. "I am opposed to all proliferation of nuclear weapons," he declared.

In the long run, however, the German parliamentary leader predicted that European nations would demand participation in common defense. "If we don't come to some solution, the French pressures for an independent force will become great," he said. On the whole, however, Erler tended to minimize French power, and took several jibes at President deGaulle. Once, he broke out of context to quote a critic of the French leader. "If you have deGaulle for a friend, you don't need enemies," he quipped.

While praising the recent Franco-German friendship treaty as a "great achievement," Erler emphasized that the two countries should not form a separate bloc against other Western nations. Germany and France must overcome "narrow Nationalism" and maintain their participation in the European and the Atlantic communities, he said.

"France and Germany together do not make a world power. While there can be no European community without France, there is no European defense without the United States of America."

After tracing the development of German democracy, the Social Democrat leader enumerated Germany's present provisions for safeguarding democracy. In order to assure political stability, no party is allowed in Parliament if it receives less than five percent of the votes. Furthermore, by a constructive censure vote, the Parliament may dissolve the government only if it elects a new one.

Finally, he said that the executive now receives all its power from the legislature, and cannot assume emergency powers.

Describing the three main German parties in terms of American politics, Erler said, "The Social Democrats resemble liberal Democrats and Republicans," he said. "The Christian Democrats are the conservative Democrats and Republicans, and the free Democrats are Goldwaterites."