GUN- ARGUMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 September 1946, Page 7

GUN- ARGUMENT

AMERICANS AND RUSSIANS TENSE SCENE AT BERLIN POLICE OUTPOST INCIDENT LATER DISCOUNTED (Rec. 11.20 a.m.) BERLIN, Sept. 17. A Russian officer and five Russian soldiers, armed with sub-machine guns, raided a United States military post near & the Templehof station last Saturday night, according to senior American intelligence officers. They said that bloodshed was only narrowly averted. The American riot squad helped to persuade the Russians to “take a more reasonable line.” The incident began when the Russians demanded “two traitors to the Soviet,” a man of Polish origin and his Ukrainian wife who had been taken to the American station for questioning. They were told that the request should be made through the usual channels. Riot Squad Called The Russian officer, Lieutenant Morosov, then ordered his squad to remove the man and woman by force. Captain A. Feldmann, who is in charge of the station, countered by placing seven American tommygunners in a ring outside the Russians and summoned the riot squad. A platoon of machine-gunners anc armed military police then cordoned off the building. This and a telephone call from the Central Komdandatura persuaded Lieutenant Morosov to take a quieter line. The matter has since been taken up through the normal channels and the Russian Provost-Marshal in Berlin has apologised to the United States authorities.

The woman has been handed over to the Russian police, but the Americans refused to hand over the man, as it is considered that there is a reasonable doubt about his citizenship. The couple were taken to the station following a call by the German police for a combined patrol of United States and Russian military police to assist in their arrest.

Lieutenant Morosov insisted that the prisoners at the station should have a strictly Russian guard. He did not want the Americans near the prisoners. Lieutenant Morosov banged the table and announced that he was taking the prisoners at the point of the tommy-guns. Those held at the point of guns included LieutenantColonel R .Cheal, United States commanding officer of Berlin military, police. Captain Feldman’s cordon around the Russians infuriated Lieutenant Morosov, who threatened to call a company of the Russian guard and fight it out. Lieutenant-Colonel K. C. Frank, American Provost-Marshal, described the incident as an ordinary policestation argument, the reports of which had been exaggerated. He added that such minor arguments happened frequently. “There was no shooting, not even a threat of it,” he said. “There was no threat of calling in a company of soldiers to fight it out. When we said we would communicate with their General, the Russians soon quietened and later the Russian ProvostMarshal called and apologised.” RUSSIANS DELAY BRITISH OFFICERS (Rec. 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 17. Russians who held up the ViennaKlagenfurt express delayed British officers and officials for nearly 12 hours. The Russians demanded a personal pass between the zones from every passenger. Reuter’s Vienna correspondent says the Russian action is regarded as part of a general tightening up oi control through the Russian zone.