Evening star., 1948-07-18
|SovietNeeds.
Plain Words
Futility of Dealing
Verbally Shown
in Berlin
By Gornett D. Horner

VI dSA ACSAACiAec CAPiOcSo @AA SSAA
eralities.
The United States, Britain and
France charged the Russian land
blockade of their sectors OF Berlin
violates four-power agreements
Russia comes back to blame the
whole thing on alleged violations by
the western powers.
1t all depends on the way you
read whatever agreements exist in
writing. That has become an old
story in dealing with the Soviet
accords that mean one thing in
western eyes are interpreted as
something else by the Russians.
Unfortunately, there appears no
record of a specific, detailed agree
ment in writing with the Soviet pro-
viding for access to Berlin by the
western powers. Such was implied
in general agreements which were
executed in detail through verbal
understandings.
Basic Right Unquestioned
Actually, the Russians haven't
questioned the basic right of the
western powers to free access to the
city. They do contend western ac-
tions, which they assert violated
four power accords for administra-
ton OF Germany as a whole, "un-
dermined also the legal basis on
which rested the right to participate
in the administration of Berlin"
So q written agreement specify
ing in detail just what railroads
and highways the Americans, Brit
ish and French were to use between
their occupation zones and Berlin
probably wouldn't make any practi-
cal difference now. But it would
have given the western powers a
strong talking point.
The western arguments were
forcefully expressed in notes to
Moscow July insisting upon an
immediate lifting Of the Soviet
blockade. Russia's countercharges
came in replies to Washington, Lon
don and Paris last Wednesday.
International agreements involved
date back to the Yalta Conference.
The communique issued on Febru-
ary II, 1945, at the end of that con-
ference reported agreement among
President Roosevelt, Premier Stain
and Prime Minister Churchill on
plans for the major Allied powers
to occupy separate zones in Ger
many on that country's defeat. 1t
added that "co-ordinated admins
tration and control" was provided
through q central control commits
sion with headquarters in Berlin.
Berlin in Red Zone
Detailed agreements respecting
what parts of Germany were to be
occupied by the Americans, British
Russians and French were worked
out by the European Advisory Com
mission. Berlin fell into the Rus
sian zone, but was set apart for
international control.
The occupation zone agreement was
made public in general terms by the
four governments in joint state
ment on June 5, 1945. AS for Ber-
lin, 1t said:
The area Of Greater Berlin will
be occupied by forces of each OF
the four powers. An Inter-Allied
Governing Authority Gin Russian
Komendature) consisting Of four
commandants. appointed by their
respective commanders in chief, will
be established to direct jointly its
administration"
With Germany's defeat, Amer
lean troops had advanced much
farther east than the boundaries
of the occupation zone allotted to
the United States. They were In
much of Saxony and Thuringia, in
some places 100 miles deep into
what was to be the Soviet occupa-
ton zone. At the same time, the
Russian Army was alone in Berlin
Truman Asked Access
On June IA, 1945, President Tru-
man sent q message to Premier
Stain proposing that definite in
structions be issued Immediately to
get the Allied forces into their
respective occupation zones. He said
he was ready to order American
forces into their zonal boundaries
on June 81, provided there was
simultaneous movement of the ma
tional garrisons into their allotted
sectors of Berlin and-this is i'm
portant-provision for free access
by air, road and rail from Frankfurt
and Bremen into the United States
sector of Berlin.
Premier Stain replied on June
16, 1945, suggesting the date for
the movement be changed to July
1. which was done. He didn't ques-
ton the provisions stipulated by
President Truman, but said the
necessary measures" would be
taken in accordance with the plan.
This, in the eyes of American Of
ficials, amounted to a contract with
Premier Stain guaranteeing free
access to Berlin from the American
occupation zone. Apparently it was
as close to such an agreement in
writing as ever was worked out.
Maj. Gen. Floyd L. Parks was
designated commander of the troops
to occupy the United States sector
of Berlin and Immediately tried to
work out the details with Soviet
Marshal Zhukov, then in command
of the Russian forces there. As an
omen Of troubles to come, he had
considerable difficulty in arranging
a conference. Eventually, after ap-
peals through Washington to Mos