REARMING OF GERMANY

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25709, 22 January 1949, Page 7

REARMING OF GERMANY

RUSSIAN CONTROLLED PAPER’S CLAIM U.S. COUNTER-CHARGE AGAINST SOVIET BERLIN, January 20. In Berlin to-day both the Western and Eastern control authorities accused one another of rearming Germany. The official Soviet-controlled newspaper “Taegliche Rundschau” claimed that the British, French, and United States military authorities were remilitarising the Western zones. The United States military authorities alleged that Russia was producing armaments in German factories in the Eastern zone.

The article in. the “Taegliche Rundschau” said: “The Western Powers have positively renounced the Potsdam decision on the demilitarisation of Western Germany. Airports and naval bases are being kept in readiness. Military organisations are not only being maintained, but strengthened, the police force is being increased. and secret preparations are being made to assemble the remnants of the former German General Staff.

“Not a single armament industry has been liquidated. On the contrary, numerous aeroplane plants and other factories, which were badly damaged during the war, have been restored.

, “All this aims at the creation of a Western German army of 500,000 men under the command of former Hitler generals to be incorporated in the Western bloc.”

“The United States military authorities are certain that Russia is producing armaments in German factories contrary to. the terms of the Potsdam agreement.” said Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell, Deputy United States Commissioner on the three-Power Security Board in Germany. He said that confirmation of some of the reports to this effect had been received, but it had been impossible to check them all “but where there is so much smoke there must be some fire,” he said.

British engineers yesterday broke up Germany’s most flagrant effort to rebuild a tank factory in the Krupps arsenal at Essen, says the Berlin correspondent of the “Daily Express.” In defiance of British orders, Krupps directors had gangs restoring a 400-feet long panzer shop, working only 50 yards from the office windows of British observers. Three times the British ordered the Krupps management, headed by Dr. Hans Kallen, to cease operations but Dr. Kallen and his associates ignored the orders. They regarded Krupps as “above the law.’ r Then angry British officials threatened stern action and the work ceased. It. was recently decided that unless another commercial use were found for the tank shop, the British would blow ft up.