respected west german newspaper columnist herbert kremp recently described his countrymen 's equivocal commitment to rescue their east german cousins from economic collapse as akin to passengers on a luxury liner who , when forced to stop for a capsized ship , `` lean over the rail to take part in rescuing the survivors , but at the same time admonish the captain not to get so close that he brings his own ship in danger and that , above all , he quickly continues the cruise . ''