People of Berlin Are Meeting Crisis With Calm Courage

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26822, 13 July 1948, Page 5

People of Berlin Are Meeting Crisis With Calm Courage

New Zealand Press Association—Special Correspondent Rec. 9 p.m. LONDON, July 12. Praise for the calm manner in which the people of Berlin are meeting the crisis in their city is given by correspondents of British newspapers. 14 There is hardly any outward sign of the gravity of the crisis in and about Berlin” says The Times representative. “ Life has the same appearance of the fantastic normality to be found in every devastated city in Germany.

“In the three western sectors the British and American air services have made it possible to maintain the level of rations. The black market in food has disappeared with the introduction of two new currencies. The picture in the home is roughly what it has been in any of the three post-war winters without the added rigours of winter.” The correspondent adds that there is some confusion over the rival currencies and the currency reform has tended to turn away attention from the most serious result of the Russian blockade.

The average Berliner has not got round to thinking about the unemployment prospects of the crisis for his horizon does not stretch that far. The correspondent pays tribute to the “ calm and courage of the citizens, especially those of the Western sectors who have everything to fear from an extension of Russian authority in the city.” He adds that the calm and courage extend beyond political parties to the common man. The unaffected loyalty of simple Germans—secretaries, car drivers, and r household servants—to their British employers continues unabated. They realise what is involved in the present crisis but it is rare to meet one who shows signs of panic. The correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says: “I have been in Berlin exactly three years and it seems to me that German feeling against the Russians is stronger than ever it has been since 1945 when the Red Army, in the flush of victory, committed the unforgettable rape of Berlin. “To-day the admiration of AngloAmericans on the part of the people of Berlin has never been higher, and indeed it could hardly be higher. The

Germans are not by nature a nation particularly blessed with the virtue of gratitude, as we know to our - cost by our history books, but there can be no questioning the possibly ephemeral gratitude they feel as they turn their eyes to the skies and watch the planes coming in and going out in unending procession." ' The New York Herald Tribune reports that in imposing drastic .electricity cuts, the Western Powers called on the German population to “ measure up to the role in History given to you.” Colonel Frank Howley, American commandant in Berlin, said that “ tne greatest air lift in peace-time history ’’ could nevertheless “ not at present meet all of the requirements of the people of Berllh.” This is due, lie said, to the limited airfields (two) available and “the narrow air corridor authorised ' ever the Soviet zone." An official in the food office of the American Military Government said that the food pii-tur« was “ good, very good in fact, and better than in the Russian sector. ’ His figures, however, indicated that up to the end of last week the AngloAmerican air lift had brought little more than one week’s supply.

Air Lift Gives West Period to Struggle ' With Moscow Policy

Though there is satisfaction at the efficiency of the “ air lift ” to Berlin there is growing opinion in London that this operation cannot be continued indefinitely. This view is held by weekly journals including The Economist which regards the main purpose of the operation as being probably to increase by three or four the number of weeks within which western diplomacy can wrestle with Moscow policy.

If there is no yielding on the Russian side while the air deliveries continue, it says, then as soon as they end the Western representations are bound sooner or later to take on the form of an ultimatum—whether that word is used or not. If there is some yielding before that stage is reached it may well have merely a tactical purpose, for the Soviet Government clearly wishes to discuss the whole German problem again in the Council of Foreign Ministers. Before that proposal is made or entertained, continues the Economist, the public in Western Europe and America will have to answer two questions which cannot any longer be avoided:— First, are the Western Powers prepared to consider a settlement o ermany which would take the Western zones out of the European recovery programme and transfer the centre of

economic and political power ’ from Frankfurt to Berlin? If' not, they should say so now, and explain to the Western electorates how and why Western German recovery is vital to the E.R.P. Secondly, will the Soviet sacrifice its interests in Eastern Germany for the sake of an understanding with the West? The evidence is that it cannot, at any rate in tho immediate future. If, says the Economist, the answers to both questions are negative, what is the use of pretending that a further conference to avert the division of Germany has any chance of success? The question underlying the issues raised in Berlin, it adds, has to be faced now while public <• opinion in Western Europe is tense with the awareness of the obligations it imposes.

Reply From Russians Awaited With Anxiety

The full British Cabinet will .assemble this morning to hear a personal report on the situation in Berlin from the British Commander-in-Chief, General Sir Brian Robertson, who will see Mr Bevin before Camnet m«-eis. eays the Daily Mail. Sir Brian is going to ask for more planes for the air food “ lift ” into Berlin. He will tell the Air Ministry that Gatow, which is the Britisn sector's airport is being used below capacity. The diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Telegraph said that a further Three-Power announcement is likely to be made this week if a satisfactory answer If not received from the .u.aian Government to the Notes of protest from Britain, the United States and France delivered on July 6 on the blockade of Berlin. The Russians so far have not formally acknowledged receipt of the Notes. The correspondent said that Russia’s reply is awaited with some anxiety, but nevertheless the situation in Berlin is too serious to allow the impasse to continue for long. The Daily Express cox-respondent in Bei-lin said that a high Soviet railway official declared that every available repairer had been put to work on the Berlin-Helmstedt track—the closing of which was one of the main causes of Berlin's isolation. The official said that crack railway squads had been drafted in as reinforcements, and added that the main reason for closing the line had been that a large number of sleepers were in a bad condition through too much traffic on the singleline track. He did not know when the repairs wpuld .be finished. The Daily Mail said in an editorial that this had been the most critical week-end since September, 1939. “We are waiting for a ‘ yes ’ or ’ no ’ from Moscow, just as nine years ago we waited for a * yes ’ or ‘ no ’ from Berlin. In 1939, however. Hitler was impatient for war, whereas Mr Stalin almost certainly does not want it.” The Daily Mail further commented that if Russia either rejected or ignored

the Western Notes there would be the risk of imminent war. The Australian Prime Minister, Mr Chifley, arrived in Berlin by air from London for an eight-hour visit, during which he made a tour of inspection of the city, visited Allied and German officials, and conferred with the Australian Military Mission. He was greeted on arrival by Major-genei-al N. C. D. Brownjohn, British Deputy Military Governor; Majorgeneral O. E. Herbert, British commandant in Berlin: and the heads of the dominion military missions. General Brownjohn, welcoming Mr Chifley at a lunch in his honour, pointed out that he was the first Allied Premier to visit Germany since the Potsdam meeting, and said the visit indicated the interest of the dominions in Western Allied occupation. Befoi-e returning to London. Mr Chifley said: “There is no question but that my Government fully approves the stand being made here by the Western Allies, and all that that entails. It is important that we should hold on.” Other important persons visiting Germany are Mr Lewis Douglas. American Ambassador to London: Mr Arthur Henderson, British Secretary of State for Air. Mr Anthony Eden and Lord Henderson (Mr Ernest Bevin’s parliamentary private secretary) are due to-morrow. Mr J. B. Hynd, former Minister responsible for Germany, is due at, Frankfurt on Tuesday for a 10-day tour of the British zone. German political circles in close touch \*ith the Soviet headquarters declare that the Russian Military Governor, Marshal Sokolovsky, will shortly take up a high military command in the Soviet Union. Marshal Sokolovsky flew to Moscow last Thursday, and is expected to return to Berlin to-morrow. He will remain in command until the present crisis is cleared up. Political circles emphasise that Marshal Sokolovsky is not in disgrace, but is being promoted. No information is yet available who will l’eplace him. I It is predicted that his departure will be followed by radical changes' in Russian policy in Germany. '