“SOVIET HITS ALL-TIME LOW”

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 April 1948, Page 5

“SOVIET HITS ALL-TIME LOW”

Reuter’s Berlin correspondent says: “Hhe chiefs of staff of the quadripartite Berlin Kommandatura met briefly and discussed Rusia’s proposals to abolish a number of kommandatura committees. “A British statement issued afterwards said that the Soviet proposals did not'affect key committees, ihe British delegation would welcome any reorganisation which would improve the smooth working of the Kommandatura. Examination might snow the Soviet proposals to be practical. The meeting was adjourned till Mond£l[A previous message said that a break-up of the four-Power Allied Kommandatura for Berlin appeared to be in progress on Thursday night when the Russian delegate, after alleging that the Western Allies had robbed and plundered Berlin, announced that the Russians could no longer participate in the work of the Kommandatura’s six key committees. The Berlin correspondent of the Associated Press said: “The Russians decision to participate no longer in the work of the Kommandatura’s six key committees followed the Russian delegate’s request that these committees should be merged with the other committees. He said that whatever the others decided, Russia would be unable to provide menibers for the six committees. No action has taken on the Russian proposal.”] The Soviet Deputy-Commandant (Colonbl Yelizarov) alleged at the Kommandatura meeting that the Western Allies had robbed and plundered Berlin. He said that they had taken 1000 tons of copper, 1000 tons of aluminium, and a complete printing plant. He also accused the French of having stripped the whole of their zone of industrial plans. He shouted. “This has got to stop. I demand it.” The United States Deputy Commandant (Colonel William Babcock)

replied: “The Soviet has hit an all-, time blow. It is incredible that the Soviet should accure us of plundering everything that existed in Berlin.” The French Deputy-Commandant (Colonel Jean le Bidault) and the British Deputy-Commandant (Brigadier Benson) backed up Colonel Babcock. Brigadier Benson said: “When we came to Berlin we found it a wilderness. The Russians had taken all the factories, machinery, and materials. I won’t listen to such malicious, untrue statements from the Soviet delegate.” Colonel-Velizarov replied that he would produce a list of items which the Western Powers had taken at the next meeting. Brigadier Benson said: “This statement of robberies ties in with the inexplicable and sudden control of transportation.”