Western Allies Take Firm Steps To Counter Russian Move In Berlin

Wanganui Chronicle, 29 June 1948, Page 5

Western Allies Take Firm Steps To Counter Russian Move In Berlin

British, U.S., And French Planes In Use To Break Land "Blockade"

(N.Z. P. A —Copyright.) Received 8.20 p.m. LONDON, June 28 The whole of the B.A.F. Transport Command is Wng placed at the disposal of the British authorities in Berlin in their battle against the Russian land "blockade” of the city's western sectors, says the Berlin correspondent of the ‘ ‘ Daily Mail. ’ ’ Two squadrons of new transport planes have already arrived at Gatow Airport, where the concrete runway is being lengthened to talee the largest type. R.A.F. planes in the past six days have carried 1700 persons in and out of Berlin. The Americans today will also double t,heir air "lift” to and from the capital, while the French are arranging food flights.

The United States Air Force plans to send 39 giant C 54 cargo planes to Germany, starting tomorrow, to help the Western | Allies fight Russia’s siege of! Berlin, states a Washington mes-i sage. The United Press quotes military quarters as saying they would be sent for General Lucius Clay, American Commander in Germany “to use as he sees fit.”

It is assumed that the planes, which are each capable of carrying 10 tons of cargo, will be used to ferry food and personnel from the western zones of Germany into Berlin. The planes will fly across the Atlantic singly or in groups of two or more. The Berlin correspondent of the “Daily Express" reports that 5000 Britons, including 1500 women and children, will from tomorrow live on a siege basis because of the Russian economic blockade. There will be a lighting dim-out before midnight and a blaek-out after midnight. Transport will be pooled ,meals streamlined, official entertaining banned, and British personnel will have to walk to work “where distance allows.” Cinema matinees will be stopped and private motor-boating on Berlin’s lakes will be forbidden. The diplomatic correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says a strong joint Note from Britain, the United States and France to the Russians on the situation in Berlin is expected soon. It is anticipated the Note will reemphasise in resolute terms:— (J) The Western Powers are determined to remain in Berlin, where they have every right to be. (2) Russia must immediately restore normal traffic communications to and from Berlin. (3) World opinion will condemn the Soviet attempt to achieve a political advantage thrdUgh the infliction of misery on helpless German civilians The Paris correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says the Foreign Minister, M. Bldault, is reported to have said that France could not afford to adopt any other attitude on the Berlin question than that of a united front with Britain and America. The “News Chronicle," in a leader, says: “The Russians, by threatening to starve two million Inhabitants of Western Germany by closing the British, American, and French supply routes, have committed an act of real aggression.” More than 200 tons of flour and qother foods are expected to arrive today from Frankfurt in the first of the “Beat the Blockade” flights by 100 United States aircraft, reports the British United Press correspondent in Berlin. The United States has already taken counter-measures inside the eity, and last night the Babelsberg area, near Potsdam, where Marshal Sokolovsky and senior Russian officials live, was one of the districts affected when the Americans cut the gas supplies. The Mayoress of Berlin, Frau Louise Schroeder, denying a rumour that the Soviet authorities had threatened to seize the Greater Berlin Magistrate's files and office equipment, said she was remaining with the Magistrature in the new Town Hall in the Soviet zone as long as it was possible to work there.