Berlin Not to be Abandoned by Western Powers

Grey River Argus, 16 April 1948, Page 5

Berlin Not to be Abandoned by Western Powers

LONDON, April 14

The American Commander in Germany, General Clay, speaking in Frankfurt to-day, said: “The Western Allies are not going to be driven out of Berlin.” He expected the Russian pressure would continue, but he denied reports that the American Military Government headquarters would be moved from Berlin.

Britain, France and America have abadoned as inexpedient, proposals for the formal proclamation of a provisional tri-zonal West German Government before elections for a constituent assembly are held. The Western Powers, instead, are examining a proposal for extending the powers of the Bi-zonal Economic Council to the political field. QUESTION OF GERMAN CURRENCY The Soviet Information Department published a declaration in the Soviet German-language newspaper, Taegliche Rundschau, that reports that the Russans had declined the Western Powers’ invitation to discuss Germany currency reform were “provocative lies.” The declaration continued that in reality the Control Council on February 11 accepted a Soviet proposal to discuss currency reform on a quadripartite basis and gave the financial directorate 60 days to submit an agreed report.

The Soviet statement, after referring to General Clay’s failure to call a Control Council meeting for April 10, said that recent events showed that the British, French and Americans had not abandoned their plans for separate current- 1 ' reform in the.r own zones. The Soviet-licensed German news agency said that new currency for Western Germany printed in America, would be issued soon. BERLIN TRAFFIC RESUMING

A British spokesman stated that the Russians since April 10 have approved 3200 bills of lading for German freight, which means that German freight traffic out of Berlin, which the new Soviet traffic regulations delayed, is beginning to flow normally again. Major General Kotikov, Russian commander in Berlin, has ordered the release of over 100 railway wagons loaded with parcels for Western Germany, which have piled up in Berlin because of the Russian restrictions. The Russians, until now, had allowed only two wagons to leave Berlin daily, although about 15 are needed to carry the parcels.