The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-10-10
Russia Bans  In Romonio
 State of Secrecy
 Confuses Motive
 Behind Action


 London, Oct. 1O-UP)- Russian authorities imposed a ban on flights over the Bal kans and Czechoslovakia to- day, throwing U. s. Army of ficials into a state of secrecy and confusion that obscured the motive behind the action. The only hint of the reason for the air ban came from Washington. Military and diplomatic sources there be- lieved it was prompted by troop movements and maneuvers III the Balkans.
 Soon after U. s. Headquarters at Frankfurt had confirmed the clos ing of the skies over Roman1a, Hungary and Czechoslovakia to for eign planes, Gen. Joseph T. Mo Narney's Office announced that flights could be resumed over Czechoslovakia.
 Another brief interval elapsed and
 
 against flying over Hungary had been countermanded. That left only Romania.
 The tight curtain of secrecy cast about the situation was maintained in Europe. "No explanation" was the retort to requests for clarif1ca- ton of the Russian action at Frankfurt, Berlin, Prague and elser where.
 Washington Offers Only Clue
 The only immediate clue to the sudden blackout of the Balkan and Czechoslovak skies by the Soviets came from Washington. There diplomatic source reported that the Russians were conducting troop maneuvers in western Hungary, and live ammunition was being used.
 Recalling that like ban was inn posed on the Balkan air lanes some nine months ago when troops were moved to the western Balkans, mili- tary sources in Washington believed another shift might be going on. That view would tally with the announcement of U. s. Headquar- ters at Frankfurt that flights could ue resumed over CZechoSlovakia. It added that flights over Hungary and Romania still were suspended. "The flights have been cancelled" a spokesman for McNarney's office said. Beyond that we have. no further comment at this time."
 An unheralded burst of reports from key points on the continent disclosed only after the Soviet air ban was in effect that the Red Army had forbidden military or commercial flights over Hungary, Czechoslovagia and Romania, as Of yesterday.
 A Pan American AirWayS slipper turned back from Vienna, cancel ing its scheduled flight on to Prague. The company announced it was terminating its trans-Atlan- tic flights at Brussels until the orders shutting of the air lanes over Soviet-dominated areas was clarified.
 U. s. AAF Confirms Report
 After the first furry of confused reports, U. s. Army Air Force Head quarters at Wiesbaden, Germany, confirmed that all flights of Army transport planes and commercial air lines over Hungary, CZechoSlo- vakia and Romania were ordered cancelled Wednesday afternoon.
 Air Force officials at Wiesbaden said their orders came from Gen. Joseph T. McNarney, commander of American forces in Europe, and they did not know why the orders were issued.
 The time limits of the order were not clarified at once. A Prague announcement by the foreign min istry said the ban ran through Oct. IA. An air attache at the U. s. em- baSSy in London said he under stood the ban was temporary.
 European sources usually willing and able to speculate at the drop of a rumor were caught of guard by the sudden announcement and had little idea what might have prompted the Soviet action.
 Follows Slav Incident
 It followed by less than a week another furry over Anglo-American air activity over the Balkans. A British plane was forced down and detained for a day. The Russians and Yugoslavs have complained re- peatedly of the alleged violation of territory by Anglo American planes. On Aug. g and 19 two U. S. transport planes were forced down by the Yugoslavs, and in the latter case five American crewmen were killed.
 Reports from Prague, the first point within the Soviet sphere to comment on the aerial ban, sug- gested that Czechoslovakia was none too well pleased with her part of it. They said the. Russian gen. eral staffs in Budapest and Vienna isSl1ed the nrdarS