Evening star., 1947-12-26
Red Plan 10 Squeeze
U. 5. From Berlin Seen
After Farley Fiasco
By Russell bornes

By RusseI Bornes
Russell Barnes, foreign affairs
correspondent for the Detroit
Ne,Ds, has just returned from
London, phere he reported the
meetings OF the Council OF For
eion Ministers. He has 0isited
Russia and the RusSian-bloc nd-
tions during the past year In dd-
dition to several stays In Berlin.
NEW YORK. Dec. 26.-American
officials expect the Soviet to try to
force the United States to withdraw
from Berlin, now that the Council
of Foreign Ministers has failed to
agree on peace settlements with
Germany and Austria.
Army and State Department men
responsible for protecting American
interests in Germany do not antici-
pate the Russians will take any overt
actions which might lead to shoot
ing. But they are bracing them
selves to meet a complex Of small,
Gripping. unofficial Soviet measures
designed to freeze the Americans
out of Berlin.
Specifically what the Americans
fear are interference with shipments
of food and other supplies into the
American zone of Berlin, more and
more barring of Americans from the
Russian zone, a possible stepping up
of kidnapings Of Americans, and
other such actions designed to make
untenable the United States position
inside the former German capital.
Advantages to Russians.
In such a campaign, the Russians
would enjoy definite advantages,
because Berlin lies deep inside the
Russian Zone and can be reached
only by traversing Russian-occupied
territory.
The position Of thousands Of
Americans. who are working In
Berlin and maintaining families
there, to say nothing Of Germans
who live In the American zone,
could quickly become difficult II
enough railroad bridges were de-
clared unsafe" for traffic, and
sufficient other blockages were
arranged" to cut the regular flow
Of food and supplies.
While American officials hope the
Russians will not adopt such OBJ
structive tactics, they are prepared
iot Lo1 -
comes.
Gen. LuciuS D. Clay, the American
military governor, is known to feel
that under the Potsdam agreement,
providing for four-power govern
ment and occupation of Berlin, he Is
entitled to maintain American head
quarters in the old German capital
II he chooses.
Would Cost Prestige.
Furthermore, in the opinion OF
American officials, any retirement
now from Berlin under Russian
pressure would be damaging blow
to American prestige in Europe.
1t would come especially badly at
this time, when the United States
is endeavoring to rebuild Western
European economy through the
Marshall program and the Soviets
are doing their best to block tine
American effort, hoping to create
conditions of confusion and distress
which would facilitate Communist
domination of Western Europe.
American plans to block possible
Soviet efforts to freeze American
forces out of Berlin are under
standably not being disclosed, and
1t Is hoped they will not be neces-
sary. But 1t is known that Gen.
Clay has been considering flying
food and other supplies into Berlin
II land communications through
Russian-occupied territory become
unworkable.
American officials stress, however,
that they do not expect the Russians
to take overt action to force Amer
leans out of Berlin-What they an
ticipate are passive measures" to
make the American position unten-
able. They believe the Soviets Will
maintain a superfciaDy correct at
titude.
The chief fear in American Of
fetal circles abroad is that inf1am-
matory incidents might result which
could create such popular resent
ment that the situation might get
out of hand, despite the best efforts
of both Russia and the United
States TO keep matters under con-
troll
Point to Tito Episode.
BY way of example, they point to
the excitement provoked in the
United States when the Yugoslavs
shot down American transport
planes two years ago.
American officials who work con-
stantly with the Russians appear to
believe sincerely that the Soviets
not only do not want war at this
time, but would 60 to great lengths
- =.
/ f