TIME TO STAND FIRM IS NOW

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14711, 1 July 1948, Page 3

TIME TO STAND FIRM IS NOW

ANY WEAKNESS IN BERLIN WOULD INEVITABLY LEAD TO WAR

AGREEMENT IN HOUSE OF COMMONS OVER POLICY IN GERMANY

U.S. ENDORSEMENT OF DETERMINATION TO RESIST PRESSURE

London, June 30. In the House of Commons tins afternoon., Britain’s Foreign Secretary, Mr Bevin made a firm declaration on British policy in Germany. The Foreign Secretary said that Britain had kept in close touch with France, America and the Commonwealth, and had decided to use all possible resources to prevent a stoppage of traffic and freight to Berlin.

Plans for a great air lift had gone ahead very fast and results seemed likely to exceed first expectations. Mr Bevin said the British Government recognised that as a result o’f these decisions a grave situation might arise. If it did the Government would have to ask the House to face it.

The Government and the Western Allies could see no alternative between that and surrender, and none of them could accept surrender.

The United States, like Britain, regarded the position in Berlin as based on definite agreements, and her intention to remain there was unchanged. Mr Bevin here took out a point made by Mr Anthony Eden, the former Foreign Secretary, who had opened the debate. Mr Bevin said that the possibility of a joint Note to Moscow was being kept very much in mind. But he insisted the first, stop was to feed Berlin and end the immediate crisis by stopping the restrictions on communications.

Mr Bevin spoke of Marshal Sokolovsky’s indication that some technical difficulties of communications could be overcome. He commented'; “I air? not deceived by language: neither am I going to assume that everything Russians say is wrong. But I shall bo happier when the first train starts, and barges go: down the Elbe. Then,” said Mr Ecvin, “ws should be ready to discuss the Berlin situation on a fourpower basis.” Earlier, the Foreign Secretary had accused the Soviet Government of consistently failing to operate the Potsdam Agreement and of destroying the possible unity of Germany. The principles and freedoms of democracies, he said, had been observed by the Western Powers, but flouted in the Russian zone.

Mr Eden, in his speech opening the debate, emphasised that if ever there was a time to stand firm it v/as now. More weakness on our part would encourage the Soviet rulers to believe that further pressure would cause further yielding, until at last a stand had to be taken making war inevitable. Prompt Action by U.S.A.

In Washington, the Secretary of State, Mr G. C. Marshall, has issued a statement saying that the Russian blockade of the German civilians in Berlin rose serious questions. The

American Government expects to deal with them promptly.

“We are in Berlin as the result of International agreement,” Mr Marshall said, “and we intend to stay.” Mr Marshall said that the next moves would be made at air transport and this could carry more supplies than had been assumed at first.

Transport planes had been taking off at half-hourly intervals from the United States to increase the strength of American planes supplying Berlin. Thirty-nine Sky in asters were flying to Frankfurt by way of the Azores. Each plane, he said, carries a double crew, so that the aircraft can work a double shift. Increasing Air Traffic A Berlin correspondent says that by tonight, British transport aircraft ’will have made a hundred flights into Berlin during the day with supplies for the zones and the occupation forces of the three Western powers. The British Commandant in Berlin, General Herbert, said this figure would be considerably increased in the next few days, and every effort would be made to double it by the end of the week. General Herbert said that air transport between Western Germany and Berlin would be kept up and even bettered until normal communications were restored. The Royal Air Force had described the operation as the biggest of its kind since the Burma campaign. In Frankfurt tomorrow the three military Governors of Western Germanv will meet the premiers of the 11 German states in their zones to tell them of the Western allies’ decisions on the future administration of Western Germany. General Lucius D. Clay, the American Military Governor, said this afternoon that the premiers would be given a timetable laying down dates for the stages in the development of the Western German Government.

The first sten was September 1 this year, when a constituent assembly was to bo convened.