Detroit evening times., 1946-01-08
By MERRILL c. MEIGS


OF WHAT ONCE WAS THE FIFTH LARG-
EST CITY IN THE WORLD.
Into the city each day pour thousands of
living skeletons from Poland, Sudetenland
and Czecho-Slovakia. Our officers frankly
fear that refugee-swollen Berlin will be driven
TO rioting this winter by its wants
Mai Gen. Oliver p. Echols, assistant to
Lucius d. Clay, deputy military governor
American occupation zone, estimates that at
least three million Germans are now existing
in the rubble of the city and in its Easements.
The women work from dawn 70 dusk, putter-
ing through the ruins, grubbing for food. One
sees very few German men concerned with
such jobs.
found Gen. EchoIs incensed about Amer
lean newspapers. He charged that they have
been unfair in stories about u. S.-SOviet rela-
tiOns in Berlin.
Gen. Echols says we are getting along
we'll with the top Russian officials Most of
the troubles We have had can be traced to
the involved red tape of Russian procedure.
Everything must be cleared through Moscow,
and Moscow doesn't work fast.
ECHOLS blames the French for many of
IL the troubles which spring from Ger
many's our-powered government. The French,
he says, take the attitude that since they
were not part of the Potsdam agreement,
they can act independently of the other
powers.
As see il, the basic difference between
the American and British outlook on the Oc-
cupation of Germany is that we want to get
our men home as soon possible and .he
British and Russians take long range view
As for the French. they apparently would like
to live off Germany forever.
A top Russian general is said 10 have told Gen.
Eisenhower that the British and French will not
20 out of their way TO facilitate relations between
the Russians and us.
Gen Eehols said If we can't make this four
power government work then there is little hope
for the United Nations association TO succeed in
its high objeCtiveS
COMPLEX IN THEIR RELATIONS WITH US.
THE RED ARMY MEN HESITATE. TO INVITE
AMERICANS TO THEIR HOMES BECAUSE
THEY FEEL THOSE HOMES ARE NOT UP TO
AMERICAN STANDARDS.
Gen Echos' Berlin home was "gItt" OF the
Russians. 1t belonged to banker named feager:
top Nazi. The Russians walked IN and iound
the banker with tommy guns The rest OF the
family was turned out into the street The bullet
marks are still in the dining room wall.
The bankers closets still hold laces, linens,
stiverware I came across one album, dated
March 8 1889 filled with pictures Of his daugh-
ter's wedding and the swank reception that fol-
lowed il.
These are SOLDERING things TO find, but one
wonders how much family anguish Yeager ana
men like him. caused back in the days when any
family faced the possibility that cherishedmem-
ber would be taken off by the GeStapo and muir
dered, his ashes returned in metal box
WHETHER we are capable of the emotion OF
w pity or not We are very strict in our military
government, in Germany We take every pre-
caution 10 keep Nazis out of Jobs in government.
The average German employe seems docile.
concerned only with food and shelter. Echols
doubts if the German people will take any inter-
est in politics until these two necessities are met.
He has figures 10 show that 30 per cent Of all
babies born in Berlin in the last three months
have died OF malnutrition The infant NOR
tality rate in the rest of Germany runs about
35 per cent
There Is little doubt left in Germany that
Hitler is dead. A German general, close To Hitler.
told Gen. EchOs that Hitler semi-idiot,
through the last few weeks OF his life. He was
thin, trembled screamed orders minute,
reversed them the next and often wept loudly.
inspected the Berlin bomb shelter OF Hitler and
Eva Braun and the chanceory courtyard where
their bodies were burned.
left Germany convinced that our officers are
doing an intelligent constructive job under al
most impossible conditions
Characteristically. the Russians insisted that
Moscow clear our plane 70 fly the direct route
10 Rome via Vienna and Prague. We waited a
long time for an answer then flew the long, al
ternate route to Rome by way Of Marseilles
Charge two hours of gasoline TO Russian red
tape and suspicion
TOMORROW. Our Chores in Italy Egypt,
India and China.
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