DR. ERHARD TOURING WEST GERMANY YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) AND TODAY, SPEAKING, MEETING VOTERS, AND THE TRAIN HE IS USING AS A MOBILE OFFICE AND SLEEPING QUARTERS.




Initials JT/V/RM/OS



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Background: WITH A MONTH TO GO TO WEST GERMANY'S GENERAL ELECTION, DR. LUDWIG ERHARD'S CAMPAIGN IS IN FULL SWING. THE CHANCELLOR IS MAKING A WHISTLE-STOP TOUR THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC SEEKING VOTES.

DR. ERHARD IS WASTING NO TIME MEETING THE VOTERS. YESTERDAY, FOR INSTANCE, HE MADE SIX STOPS WITHIN THREE HOURS, SPEEDING BY CAR FROM TOWN TO TOWN, VILLAGE TO VILLAGE.

GERMANY REUNIFICATION IS THE MAIN THEME OF HIS SPEECHES, ALONG WITH OTHER TOPICAL ISSUES LIKE NATO AND REARMAMENT. A SIMILAR CAMPAIGN LINE IS BEING TAKEN BY THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS, LED BY WEST BERLIN MAYOR WILLY BRANDT, WHO FORM THE CHIEF OPPOSITION TO THE CHANCELLOR AND HIS RULING CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS.

AT NIGHT, DR. ERHARD GOES ABOARD A SPECIAL TRAIN, LINKED BY TELEPHONE TO BONN, TO HANDLE EVERYDAY PROBLEMS AND REST FOR THE NEXT DAY'S CAMPAIGNING. THE ELECTION TAKES PLACE ON SEPTEMBER 19.

(TODAY, HIS PREDECESSOR, DR. KONRAD ADENAUER, TOLD A POLITICAL MEETING THAT ADOPTION OF AN AMERICAN PLAN TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS WOULD MEAN THE "SURRENDER OF EUROPE TO THE RUSSIANS." BONN IMMEDIATELY DISSOCIATED ITSELF FROM THE STATEMENT, AND DR. ERHARD HIMSELF REITERATED WEST GERMAN SUPPORT FOR THE UNITED STATES AT THE GENEVA DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE, WHERE THE PLAN WAS PUT FORWARD).