FINAL TALK AT MOSCOW

Grey River Argus, 24 August 1948, Page 5

FINAL TALK AT MOSCOW

FORECASTS NOT VERY OPTIMISTIC (Rec. 10.20) LONDON, August 23. The Moscow correspondent of the British United Press says: Mr Roberts, M. Chataigneau and General Bedell Smith, Western envoys, have held a preparatory meeting, before leaving to finish the with Russian leaders on Monday evening. An earlier report stated: The Western envoys in Moscow during the seven days since they have seen M. Molotov, are believed to have decided upon their final terms on which Pour Power talks on Germany can be broached. The envoys have now been negotiating for 24 days. “It-looks very much as though the effort to get a settlement with the Russians on Germany is failing,” says the Manchester Guardian to-day. “There is no evidence from the Russian side of a willingness to meet the Western Allies even one-eighth of the way towards an agreement. ’ ’

The envoys had a two-hour meeting at General Bedel Smith’s home to discuss their plans. Many observers in Moscow believe the next conference between the envoys and the Russian representative will be the final one, determining whether four-Power talks on the German crisis can be arranged. A French Foreign Office spoxesman said: M. Stalin is likely to receive the envoys very soon, possibly tomorrow or even tonight. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says the envoys have agreed on the line of approach. Big Four talks are likely to be speedily fixed if Russia agrees, in principle, to the Western ( terms, as a basis. MORE BELLICOSE STAND (Rec. 10.20). LONDON, August 2.3 Referring to the twenty-four days which the Western envoys have spent negotiating in Moscow', the Manchester Guardian says: The envoys, despite the period, seem to have made ) no headway with M. Molotov. The newspaper emphasised that the Russians, in their recent general dealings, have been more bellicose than ever. It says: M. Vyshinsky’s bullying of the Western Powers at the Danube navigation conference was reminiscent of the Nazi technique. The Russian displays of force in Berlin against the Western Powers and against the non-Communist Germans have become more and more impudent. Early Return of Envoys Likely (Rec. 10.20) LONDON,. Aug. 23. Observers in Moscow believe that the Western envoys will see Molotov to-day, and will present a final Western reply in the customary diplomatic form, according to Reuter s Moscow correspondent. It is thought that they will then see M. Stalin before returning to their capitals, Berlin Currency Control an Obstacle (Rec. 10.10) LONDON, Aug. 23. The diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Telegraph said: “It is the currency question in Berlin. that mainly, in the present negotiations, divides the Western Powers from Russia. The Russians are insisting that their Eastern mark shall be the sole currency for Berlin. The Western Powers have stated that they Eastern zone currency for Berlin, do not object to a unified or even an provided it is under the control of the Foui’ Powers. Western Solidarity (Rec. 10.20) LONDON, Aug. 23. Reuter’s correspondent at Moscow says: “Whatever may be the outcome of the Kremlin talks, Western observers declare that the talks will have accomplished a useful purpose in the re-emphasis which they have placed on the Western unity on the Berlin issue. TENSION IN BERLIN REMAINS HIGH FURTHER ARRESTS BY POLICE LONDON, August 22. Friction continuesi in Berlin between the Russian-sponsored ana the Western police and tension is hign. The United States deputy provost marshall, Colonel Kelly, said that the patrols along the borders had been strengthened and that reserves were being kept at the alert because of the state of tension which existed. It was announced to-day that Western sector Berliners who want to register for ration cards in the Soviet sector will not be given the Western sector ration cards, in future. The Soviet has invited Germans to work in the Soviet sector. This/ is the fourth similiar gesture the Russians have made. The Russians' had previously offered food and coal to all workers entering their sector, but therß were few takers. Most Serious Incident RUSSIANS’ SEIZURE OF U.S. OFFICIAL (Rec. 9.40) . LONDON, Aug. 23. The Russians made a seizure of the Deputy United States Di•rector of Information in Berlin, Mr Thomas P. Headen. He was captured just inside of the Soviet sector of Berlin. This is the most seriious incident between the Russians and the Americans for some months, .according to Berlin press correspondents. Mr Headen was standing in the square with his wife and two children, when Russian military police I drove up, jumped out of the jeep, grabbed' Mr Headen and left his wife and children standing in the square. Mrs Headen said her husband was taking photographs on the ‘’’island’’ of Russian territory adjoinnig British territory. “We thought it was British,” she said. “We did not know it was R/ussian-controlled territory.” United States military police have repeatedly telephoned th the Soviet military headquarters. demanding the release of Mr Headen. The Soviet authorities, each time, denied knowledge of the arrest of any American official.

Wife’s Alarm (Rec. 10.0) LONDON, Aug. 23. When Russians seized Mr T. P.

Headen, his wife screamed: ‘“They have got my husband!’’ but a truck into which two Russian military policemen had dragged Mr Headen, yas driven off 'before anyone could make a move to stop it, Mrs Headen, with her daughter aged ten, and her son aged five, rushed to a British military police post, 50 yards away, and pleaded with the soldiers to help her husband. But there was nothing that they could do. Headen told reporters that she, with her husband and children, had gone to Potsdamer Platz to view the black market operators. Mr Headen was bare-headed, in a white mackintosh, with a camera when he was seized. Mr Headen’s capture emphasises the chaotic gangster conditions produced in Berlin by the split in the police force. Headen Being Released (Rec. 11.30). LONDON, August 23. The correspondent of the Associated Press at Berlin says: The Russians have asked United States liaison officers to go to their headquarters and accept the release of Headen. RUSSIAN SECTOR DIRECTOR ARRESTED On Sunday, German police, in the British sector of Berlin, arrested Franz Erdmann, director of the Russian sector Criminal Investigation Department, while he was .attending a boxing match at Olympic Stadium, The Western police president, Dr. Stumm, threatened three weeks ago to arrest Erdmann on charges of kidnapping several Western sector policemen when theer was a splß in the control of Berlin’s police. Erdmann Released (Rec. 11.20). LONDON. August 23. Western sector police officials said that the arrest of Erdmann was not intended as a retaliation. Erdmann wo.uld be formally charged with abduction, and with presumption of authority. (Rec. 11.30). LONDON, August 23. Reuter’s correspondent at Berlin says: In the British sector’ a Summary Court has released Fritz Erdmann. ANOTHER ARREST BY RUSSIANS (Rec. 11.40). LONDON, August 23. Reuter’s correspondent at Berlin says: Eight Soviet soldiers, armed with Tommy-guns, crossed the American boundary at the Potsdamer Platz and arrested a Gerr;an. The German resisted, but he was dragged into the Soviet sector. POLICE PRECAUTION (Rec. 11.30) LONDON, Aug. 23. .Reuter’s correspondent in Berlin says: In the British sector the German police are now wearing silver piping on their lapels, this making them indistinguishable from the Soviet sector police. 1 The Western sector police headquarters said it is a “precautionary measure.” At Berlin the United States Provost Marshal’s office and the headquarters of the German police for Western Berlin reported everything was quiet in the Potsdamer Platz on Sunday night. Red Army Desertions and Soviet Zone Clothing Famine (N.Z.P. A.—REUTER CABLE) (Rec. 11.45). BERLIN, August 23. Soviet police, by means of raids on the Soviet sector in the past week, have tried to round up Red Army deserters, rather than stamp out the black market, said the Britishlicensed paper, Montags Echo. The second-hand clothing prices in the Soviet zone have increased by as much as one thousand per cent, in the past few weeks because Soviet officers and soldiers have been buying the clothing up. In the Wittenberg district alone 500 Red Army men deIserted at the beginning of August.

Attitude ef Berliners Stated by Australian Member of Parliament Impressions of His Visit (N.Z.P.A.—REUTER CABLE) (Rec. 9.55(. LONDON, August 23. “The overwhelming majority m Germans hate the Russians, and they want us to stay in Berlin”, said Mr Howard Beale, a member of the Australian House of Representatives, who has returned to London from a visit to Berlin. , His impression is that the Western Powers “most certainly will not get out under Russian pressure”. He said that he met most of the British and United States military and economic chiefs in Berlin. He was impressed with their firmness, restraint and wisdom. . ~ . . He said: “The Russian attempt to discredit the Western Allies has rebounded against the Russians themselves. They have lost prestige through it”. , , ~ ... a In the Soviet sector, he said, the Berliners seemed to be depressed ana down-at-heel. The Western zones economic position was steadily im“Unless there is war, nothing can prevent a spectacular improvement in the German economy , said Mi Beal-. “Western Germany' in 1948 will

spend five hundred millions sterling on imports”. . Mr Beale described the Allied air lift as a splendid success. BRITISH AIR SERVICE British authorities announced that British aircraft exported 12,300.000 deutschemarks worth of goods since the Soviet blockade began. (lhe deutschemark is, unofficially, Is 6ct>. The British said the Western sector food stocks are greater now than at the beginning of the blockade, while coal supplies are adeauate tor essentials. . „ , The pilot of a Vampire jet fighter, which made a forced landing near Schwein, in the Soviet, zone of Germany on August 16, returned to his Royal Air Force station near Lubeck to-day, says Reuter’s Berlin correspondent. A British lorry brought the Vampire back. Australia to Send Airmen to Berlin (Rec.-11.55). CANBERRA, Aug. 23. The Prime Minister, Mr J. B. Chifley, has announced that, in response to the British Government’s suggestion, Australia would send air crews totalling forty personnel, to assist in the Berlin air lift. It was originally proposed to send a number of Dakota aircraft, but these had since been deemed unsuitable for the purpose. Big Improvement in Western Germany's Economic Position (Rec 9.40). LONDON, August 23. In Berlin to-day, General Clay, U.S. Commander, announced that m the Western sector the foodstuffs, as the result of the air lift, now are sufficient to last for 35 days,, while the rye and wheat harvest yield in yhe Bi-Zonal area is expected to be thirty per cent, higher than in 1947. The monthly pig iron output increased by 20 per cent, in July. The rot-rolled products increased 27 per cent., which General Clay attributed to satisfactory coal receipts, and an improved use of coal by the steel mills. General Clay said that the black market was now confined generally to tobacco, coffee, and alcohol. The improved food position has resulted in lack of serious strikes.