TRENCHES ROUND BERLIN BEING DUG

Grey River Argus, 10 August 1948, Page 5

TRENCHES ROUND BERLIN BEING DUG

By Red Army (Rec 10.40 p.m.) LONDON, Aug 9. Reuter’s Berlin correspondent reports: Russians are digging trenches and building artillery positions round the western boundaries of Berlin, according to the British-licensed newspaper “Berlin Teleqraf.” Thirty forest fires have been caused during the past month by Russian soldiers engaged in fortification work round the city. The “Telegraf” asserted that Berliners who go out into the Russian zone to collect mushrooms are often forced to do a hard day’s work in digging trenches. Berlin Police Arrested In Soviet Zone While in Bed (Rec. 7.45). LONDON, Aug. 9. The British authorities at Berlin said that Russian-controlled police last night arrested a number of German police who obeyed the orders oi the Police President, Doctor Johannes Stumm, says the British United Press Berlin correspondent. Russian-controlled Criminal Police, under Communist orders, called on the German policemen, who were living in the Russian Zone, duiing the night. They did not even give them time to dress before taking them away. furtherHeeting AT KREMLIN FOR WEST ENVOYS LONDON, August 8. It is expected that a further meeting between M. Molotov and the Western envoys will be held at the Kremlin on Monday. One Western envoy has received his Government’s reply to the report on the session with M. Molotov on Friday and the other envoys are expecting their answers any moment. When all the answers arrive, the three envoys will confer before seeing M. Molotov. Observers believe that the Western Powers still demand the lifting of the Berlin blockade before the Foreign Ministers meet, while the Russians insist on “no preliminary conditions.” . The Russian newspaper in Berlin, “Tagliche Rundschau,’'’ in its first reference to the Moscow talks, said: “In the highest and most responsible quarters of the Western Powers, a better understanding seems to be getting the upper hand. _ The Western Powers would be willing to accept only Eastern currency throughout Berlin, but their efforts were administration. But the wider scope being sabotaged by the Berlin city of world politics cannot be influenced bv storms in a tea cup.” “The Western zone commanders have ordered fresh cuts in Berliners’ electricity and gas supplies. Electricity for householders will be cut by half and gas will be cut off from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Berliners’ power supplies will then be lower than at the height of the war.

U.S. Communists Support Wallace NEW YORK, August 7. The American Communist Party at its convention announced officially its support of Mr. Henry Wallace in the Presidential election. U.S. Communists Praise Soviet NEW YORK, August 7. The American Communist Party to-day elected to high party posts all its 12 leaders indicted on charges of advocating the overthrow of the United States Government. A 3,000-word platform adopted at the final session of the party’s fourteenth annual convention called on all Americans who hated Fascism to w defend the rights of Communists, and lauded Russia as the world’s strongest bulwark for peace. Mr. William Foster was re-elected the national chairman. ■