PLEDGE BY U.S.

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28927, 22 June 1959, Page 11

PLEDGE BY U.S.

“Stand Firm” In Berlin

(Rec. 11 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 21

The United States yesterday pledged anew to protect “the courageous people of West Berlin” from Communist pressure. The "standing firm” statement came from the State Department as the Secretary of State, Mr Christian Herter, flew to Washington after six fruitless weeks at the Geneva Foreign Ministers’ conference. Mr Herter and the Undersecretary of State, Mr Douglas Dillon. will meet President Eisenhower at the White House late today. Mr Herter will report to the American people early next week in a radio-television speech on the Geneva talks. He has also arranged talks with key Congressmen.

Decisions on what steps to take next awaited Mr Herter’s return later today, but some United States officials saw little that the United States could do to solve the German problem. The Soviet Union rejected everything the British, French and Americans had to offer in the first round al Geneva. The unusual State Department statement on Berlin yesterday amounted to a blunt rejection of the new Soviet threats by reaffirming United States pledges of support. The new moves were expected to heighten tension during the three-week “cooling-off” period, according to United Press International. and it was believed in some Washington circles that some effort must be made to solidify the United States-British-French position at the East-West talks.