Evening star., 1948-04-10
Berlin
Continued From First Page.)

AlldHGlC ulRnI. AC present TWO
planes a week fly to Berlin and the
airline had planned to increase the
flights to four weekly starting next
month.
British and American officials said
the Russians have also refused to
renew permits authorizing their Sig
nal Corps crews to supervise and
maintain telephone and telegraph
lines to Berlin passing through the
Soviet zone. - '...-. --..-
The present permits expire April
Is. The Russians said they will
take over supervision after that
date.
The Americans have maintained a
crew of five men at Weimar in the
Soviet zone to supervise and repair
cables carrying all American tele-
graph and telephone communica-
tions with the American zone.
Meanwhile the Russians and Brit
ish took steps toward a two-power
investigation OF the air crash over
Berlin which killed Is persons last
Monday.
The Soviet controlled German
news agency. Adm, said last night
Russian occupation authorities have
named a board to work with the
British in seeking the causes Of
the accident.
A Soviet fighter plane and a
British transport aircraft collided
as the British plane was coming
in to land. Twelve Britons, two
Americans and the Russian fighter
pilot were killed.
Mild British Reply.
The new announcement followed
a mild British reply yesterday to
the Soviet military governor, who
had blamed the British for the &C.
cident. In this note, the British
military governor, Gen. Sir Brian
Robertson, dropped an earlier de-
mand for four-power inquiry and
accepted Russian suggestion for a
Soviet investigation.
Earlier, the British had blamed
the Soviet plane for causing the
accident and demanded assurances
the air corridor to the western zones
be free from molestation. They
threatened to provide their trans
ports with fighter escort.
Gen. Robertson's reply, reportedly
dictated by the British Foreign Of
fice, made no mention again OF
fighter escort. It said British air
craft have been instructed to OBJ
serve fight regulations strictly.
The bearer of the diplomatic note
was told the Russian military gov
ernor, Marshal VASTLY D. Sokoloy-
sky, was out of town. Some thought
he may have been called to Moscow
for further instructions on dealing
with the tense relations in Berlin
between Russia and her Western al
lies.
Gen. Lucius D. Clay, American
military governor and April chair
man of the four power Allied Con-
troll Council. said yesterday he was
calling no Council meeting for to-
day, the regular day. The Russians
walked out on the Council March
20 and 1t hasn't met since.
The Russians frightened up their
traffic control in the Russian area
Of Berlin and for the first time last
night stopped a United States Army
freight truck leaving the city. The
vehicle was hauling household fur
niture for the American consulate
at Bremen.
The Russians insisted the cargo
carry the stamp Of the Soviet gov
ernment in Berlin.
U. s. Halts Freight Trucks.
The American Military Govern
ment announced today no further
attempts will be made to move
freight by truck from Berlin to the
American zone.
Freight trains leaving Berlin have
been going back empty since Rus
sian trafiic restrictions went In
effect April /. Under the Russian
order all freight outward bound
through the Russian zone must be
cleared by the Russians.
A post ONCE siding was jammed
today with "a carloads Of parcel post
destined for the three western zones
of Germany. The mail could not
move until the Russians had ap-
proved its passage through their
zone. The backlog has been building
up since the Russian travel order.
United States officials disclosed
yesterday II applications for the
return Of 2s dependents to America
hak heen receiyed In the last =