Berlin Prepared To Survive Blockade

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28936, 2 July 1959, Page 11

Berlin Prepared To Survive Blockade

(Rec. 8 p m.) LONDON, July 1. Discussing the impressive preparations made in West Berlin in case of a second blockade, the “Manchester Guardian’s” correspondent there says they included the stockpiling of enough food and raw materials to carry the city through the first eight or 10 months of any such blockade.

He says provision has been made for giving the 2,306,000 inhabitants a basic ration amounting to 2900 calories a day. which represents th» average calorific diet at the moment It compares with a daily average of 1800 calories during the blockade when the population suffered no illeffects from malnutrition.

Should the Russians or the East Germans cut the city’s communications with the West it would be possible to use stocks of 29 different foodstuffs to give Berliners a fair range of choice This compares with the usual range of 100 foodstuffs, but it bears little relation to the bard rations of 10 years ago The quality of frozen and dehydrated foods has improved immensely since then. The margarine made from raw materials stockpiled in Berlin will have Just three times the nutritional value of the margarine eaten by Berliners during the blockade. This time it will be possible with a far smaller airlift to supply enough fresh milk, meat and vegetables. Berlin already produces all the fresh milk and eggs needed for its hospitals and children. West Berlin is now 100 per cent self-sufficient in the production of

the electricity it needs for its seven power plants carry a reserve of more than three million tons of coal. In the event ot a blockade it will probably not be necessary to introduce electricity cuts for domestic consumers. It will be sufficient to reduce the amount of electricity used for advertising and street illumination

West Berlin is also self-suffi-cien in drinking water. The city government has been worried over the problem of sewage. Of West Berlin’s sewage, only 20 per cent is disposed of Inside the city boundaries and the rest flows to Eastern Germany. This flow could be stopped and therefore full provision has been made for the u>e of open waterways and prior treatment of sewage with ch-.mlcals. Stockpiled medical supplies tn genera] are sufficient for a year Berlin’s industries could be maintained on what is described as a reasonable level only Any Increase in unemployment would be checked by cutting out Sunday and overtime working. The Allied garrisons in Berlin incidentally have supplies and equipment in reserve which would last them more than a year.