Evening star., 1948-11-28
Former German Chiel
|0f Berlin Coal Unit
Sentenced by Soviet
BY the Asseeiatsd Press

BERLIN, Nov. 27.-A Russian
military tribunal tonight SEN
fenced the former chief of the
Berlin central coal agency to
three months and Is days in jail
for allegedly failing to cooper
ate with the Soviet military ad-
ministration.
The Soviet-licensed news agency
Adm said the tribunal took into
consideration the fact that the anti
Communist. former city officer,
Curt Mueckenberger, had been in
jail for three months and 10 days.
According to the Adm, he will have
to serve only Is days of the SEN
tence.
The tribunal heard evidence
against Mr.. Mueckenberger in a
closed trial In the Russian sector
of the city. 1t brought in three
count verdict against him.
Charges Made by Russians.
The Russians charged that he
had failed to follow orders during
the coal distribution in February
Of last year, that he had not taken
steps to find out why the coal sup
ply had "dwindled," and that he
had not pushed experiments in the
heat value of coal.
The Russians tried to fire Mr..
Mueckenberger last August but the
city magistrate held that the order
against the anti-Communist was IL
legal. Mr.. Mueckenberger was ar
rested soon afterward as the Rus
slams pressed their campaign against
anti Communist city officials.
On September Is the Russians
hauled him before a military tribu-
nal but were forced to postpone the
trial when a witness was not in the
city.
Since that time neither Mr..
Mueckenberger's family nor his
friends have been able to commune
cate with him.
4 Magistrat Employees Held.
The Soviet campaign against anti
Communists in municipal Office was
pushed briskly after Mr.. Muecken-
berger,s arrest. At least four en-
ployes of the Magistrat have been
arrested or have. disappeared from
the Russian sector, according to
Western Allied reports.
A statement from the British mil
itary government condemned the
Mueckenberger trial as typical of
the Eastern pattern" in trying to
complete the splitting Of Berlin's
city government.
The British-licensed news agency
in Germany said tonight that the
Russian military governor, Marshal
VASTLY D. Sokolovsky, had discus
sed the establishment of a separate
Berlin government with delegates
from the Communist-sponsored So
cialist Unity Party (SED).
Soviet Zone Cuts Power.
Soviet authorities ordered sharp
reductions in electric power usage
in the entire Russian zone of Ger
many.
Allied authorities said the ration
curtailment obviously was a result
of the coal shortage caused by
the Western Allies counterblockade
againest East Germany.
The reduction was announced by
thee Soviet.licensed 1ews agency
Adm. Power will be cut of to all
homes five hours each day and power
to stores and offices will be cut of
nine hours daily.
Industry also was ordered to shut
down one day in addition to Sunday
each week. This will be called
power saving day."
Meanwhile, Col. Frank Howley,
American commander in Berlin,
warned the Communists that he
would tolerate no further removals
Of railway equipment from the
American sector to the Soviet sector.
Col. Howley said the Americans
were considering "countermeasures" S"
to meet Communist threats to cut
of elevated railway service to the
Western sectors.
Allied "Suggestions" Hit.
At Bonn. the Communist dele
gates to the Constitutional Assembly
proposed that the Assembly dissolve
itself as a result Of suggestions
which the military governors of the
Western zones submitted to the
body.
These suggestions, in effect, ad-
vised the delegates against too much
centralized power for the govern
ment they are forming. The Com
munists charged the Western aide
memoire proved the Assembly is
only "a creation of the occupying
powers"
The Assembly rejected the Com
munist proposal and decided to re-
gard the suggestions simply as an
explanation of the six-power Lon
don conference which proposed the
Bonn meeting.
The Western move, however,
caused some resentment even among
non Communist delegates.
BromuqIiu Plans to Offer