ANTI-WEST CAMPAIGN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26918, 2 November 1948, Page 5

ANTI-WEST CAMPAIGN

WITHDRAWAL FROM GERMANY DEMANDED INTENSE SOVIET DRIVE BERLIN, Oct. 31. The Russians launched a new propaganda campaign aimed at stirring up German public opinion to demand the withdrawal of the Western Allies not only from Berlin but from all Germany, says the Associated Press correspondent. The Russians used the Communist German Peoples’ Council to issue the declaration, which demands the conclusion of a peace treaty with an allGerman Government to be followed within a j-ear by the withdrawal of all occupatior forces. The campaign is accompanied by claims in the .Russian-controlled press that Mr Stalin’s attack on the Western Powers over the Berlin deadlock had caused confusion in the Western bloc. Western authorities in Berlin consider the Soviet campaign is an attempt to popularise a Russian proposal made several months ago at tne Warsaw conference of Eastern Foreign Ministers that all four occupying forces withdraw. This plan,! according to official samplings of German opinion by Americans, had encountered wide distrust in German minds. Much as the Germans would like to have their country back for themselves, many fear that if the Western Powers withdraw the Communists will take over with the aid of their armed “ people’s police.” / The Soviet deputy commandant. Colonel Alexis Yelisarov, in the official Soviet newspaper, Taegliche Rundschau, warned the Berlin city administration against holding the municipal elections scheduled for December 5 in the three Western sectors, says Reuter’s Berlin correspondent. Colonel Yelisarov declared: “ The . gentlemen of the present city administration must beware of premature decisions likely to cause harm to the population. They must consider very carefully the responsibility placed upon their shoulders at this moment.” Colonel Yelisarov insisted on'the conditions of the Commandant. Majorgeneral Kotikov, for Soviet approval of elections in the Soviet sector. The City Assembly has rejected these conditions, which included:— 1. The disbandment of “militaristic and Fascist organisations.” 2. The deletion from the electoral lists of “ warmongers and Fascists.” 3. A guarantee for unhindered activities of Soviet-sponsored bodies in the Western sectors. Colonel Yelisarov said: “The City Assembly at its meeting on October 25 did not define in detail its attitude towards these necessary conditions. The Assembly’s decision to retain in office present delegates from the Soviet sector and to elect new delegates in the Western sectors is both absurd and contrary to the city constitution. The Soviet command insists that really democratic elections for the whole of Berlin are carried out in the near future. In order to elect a new city constitution. however, elementary, democratic freedom violated in the Western sectors must first be re-established. We believe agreement on this question can, he reached'very quickly if agreement is desired.”