ONE BY ONE IS SOVIET METHOD: UGLY SITUATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 May 1949, Page 5

ONE BY ONE IS SOVIET METHOD: UGLY SITUATION

BERLIN, May 22 (Rec. 2 p.m.).— The Soviet-controlled railway headquarters made it plain today that if and when the trouble is settled the strikers will be dealt with.one at a time.

It was announced that those who fail to report today must apply for new registration. In this way the management can pick those it wants to take back.

The situation in Berlin tonight, on the eve of the opening of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Paris, is full of ugly possibilities. The West sector police have been able to restore order after each incident, but there is a growing danger that, as tempers rise, they will lose control. It became clear tonight that big gangs of youths, and not strikers, were causing most of the disturb3HC6S* Police guards were increased at the principal stations at nightfall. The leaders of the striking railway workers met tonight and decided not to call for a general strike in West Berlin. After a four-hour meeting they passed a three-point resolution. This demanded" the withdrawal of the Russian sector railway police from Western Berlin, the transfer of railway protection in West Berlin from the Russian sector railway police to Western employees and action by competent authorities to require the railway management to collect fares in Western Berlin in West marks so that the striking‘workers can be paid in West marks. The Western sector police, who have taken over the Charlottenburg station in the British sector, have orders to use their guns if the Communists open fire on the station again. By unspoken consent all the occu-