WEST GERMANY FEATHER FOR LUDWIG'S CAP WEST GERMANY'S NEXT CHANCELLOR, ECONOMICS MINISTER 
LUDWIG ERHARD, PASSED HIS FIRST TEST FOR THE BIG JOB LAST 
WEEK . A WEEK-LONG LABOR STOPPAGE AMONG 400,000 METALWORKERS IN BADEN-WURTTEMBERG 
WAS THREATENING TO SPREAD TO THE INDUSTRIAL HEARTLAND OF THE RUHR 
. ALREADY $100 MILLION HAD BEEN LOST IN IDLE FACTORIES . 
IT WAS UP TO " UNCLE LUDWIG " TO ACT AND 
FAST . HE DID . SUMMONING BOTH SIDES TO A WOOD-PANELED 
CONFERENCE ROOM OF THE ECONOMICS MINISTRY, ERHARD SAT THEM DOWN FACE 
TO FACE, PROVIDING TWO ANTECHAMBERS FOR BOTH GROUPS TO USE FOR 
THEIR OWN DISCUSSIONS . THEN THE DOORS WERE SHUT AND PLENTIFUL 
SUPPLIES OF CIGARS, BEER AND SCHNAPPS WERE BROUGHT IN TO LOOSEN 
UP THE BARGAINERS . ERHARD SHUTTLED FROM ROOM TO ROOM, CHIDING, 
ENCOURAGING, CAJOLING EACH GROUP AS THE STRUGGLE CONTINUED TO FIND A 
COMMON GROUND . THEN IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS HE CAME 
UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT JUST ABOUT SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 
UNION DEMANDS AND MANAGEMENT'S OFFER . IT WAS THE PROPITIOUS MOMENT, 
FOR EACH SIDE NOW WAS GROGGY WITH FATIGUE OR BEER AND 
BEFORE LONG EACH SIDE ACCEPTED THE COMPROMISE A 7 PER CENT 
WAGE HIKE SPREAD OVER 18 MONTHS (CURRENT AVERAGE HOURLY WAGE : 
ABOUT 77 #$ ) . THE FEATHER WAS IN LUDWIG'S CAP, 
AND HE KNEW IT . " IT WAS A RESTLESS NIGHT, 
" HE BEAMED TO CHEERING CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC UNION DEPUTIES NEXT DAY 
. " YOU KNOW THAT I PUT ALL MY PRESTIGE ON 
THE SCALE . " THE C.D.U . LOST NO TIME PUTTING 
THEIR HERO'S NEW PRESTIGE TO USE . WORRIED OVER A STRING 
OF C.D.U . DEFEATS IN STATE ELECTIONS, THE PARTY HUSTLED ERHARD 
OFF TO START WORK IN THE CAMPAIGN FOR NEXT WEEK'S ELECTION 
IN LOWER SAXONY . 