EAST GERMANY: Swelling Stream

The throb of unrest in East Germany can be accurately measured by the flow of refugees to the West. For about a year the number of East Germans seeking sanctuary was a fairly steady 6,500 a month. Last month the number abruptly rose to 8,500. West Berlin authorities expect the figure for April to top 10,000.

The refugees all have stories to tell. There is a serious farm crisis in East Germany. Meat, wheat, sugar and edible oils are now critically short, and in some localities there has been panic buying on the "free markets" (where prices are about six...

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