WESTERN POWERS INTEND TO REMAIN IN BERLIN

Chronicle (Levin), 3 April 1948, Page 5

WESTERN POWERS INTEND TO REMAIN IN BERLIN

Reuter.

(N.Z.P.A. — ,

COjajrlgM)

Received Friday, 7.0 p.ro.. . LONDON, April 2. For the time heing the British and Amerieaii autherities have eancelJed all inilitary trains leaving Berlin for the west and as a temporarv moasure are instituting special air seraces. This aetion — whieh can be 110 more than inakeshii't — is the fust reaction to the enr)]''ei(ient bv tlie Ru..sians oi' their new regulations toi* conti'olling road and i*ail traffie jn and out oi' the city. The Russians, realising- the taetieal and strategical sti'Cngth of their position, are going ahead with their plans. This was made elear wlien Hajor-( Jeneral Brownjohn, British Depntv Military Oovernor, last night niade a l'ornial pi'otest to Lieutemait-Ooneral Lukyanschenko, Russian Depntv Military (Jovernotu Lnkyanschenko said he would convey the British representafions to Marshall Sokolovsky but there was no indieation, eit.h'n* in matter or in niannei- oi his remarks, that the Russians are in the mood to modit'v their attitnde. ' With nnich firntnoss Major-Oeneral Brownjohn agrin insisted that the British authorities would not allow Russian officers^io board inilitary trains to eheck passengers and personal papers. Hie Russians are equally insistent in the eontrary sense. A Freneh request i'or a nieeting with Lukyanschenko was brusquely rejeeted. Warnings to Bussia 011 the hazards of her present cou.rse, are given bv tliree Anierican newspapers. The New Vork Tinies says : "The Russians grievously mistake the teni])er of this eouutry and Britain also, to judge bj the inimediate British reaction, or thev imagine tliis crude ehallenge will not be finnly and calnily niet. Berlin, in the present eircumstances, is an outpost of the Western Powers and it is impossible 1o believe the Soviel (lovernnient is prepared to l'ace the terrible :*isk of evicting theni." The Horald-Tribune says: "The Fnited States cannot tolerate interfei'ence, inspection or control of any other kind over its coinmunieations in Berlin. Kvery l'orce at the conimand oi tlie Fnited States inust be niobilised to ensure that tlie Russians understand that free aeeess to Ihe Anierican sector of Berlin is indispensalile to any settleinent of the European probleoi." Tlie Daily Xews says: " We only hope the fourteen members of the Rolitburo are not overestirnating the Anierican desire for peace and underestimating Anierican ability and willingness to fight it we are badgered iuto a fight. We hope the nien in tlm Kremlin are not setting i'orth niisinformed on a blind or mad advei\ture whieh eould inean worldwide (lisasler with themselves arnong the chief vietiiiis." The Fnited States Secretary of Defenee, Mr. James Forrestal. described Ihe situalion in Berlin as "toucli ayd go", when he discussed the silualion with the Senate Armed Services Committee today, says the llerald-Trilnme's Washington correspondent. A State Department spokesman emphasised that Fnited States was deterinined to keep l'orces in Berlin and said the policy laid down bv Mr. Marshall on Mareh 25 stlll stood. Mr. iMarshall at that time admitted that Fnited States had vcry few troops in Berlin but added that tliey were 1here in accordanee with a fourBower agreenient and intended to remain.