Evening star., 1948-04-01
U.S.. Keeping Berlin Link by Plane
AfterRed Inspection Halls Trains;
Truman Asks ; Billion for Defense
Squeeze on Allies
To Leave City Is
Strongly Protested
BY the Associoied Press

BERLIN, April 1.-The United
States turned to the airplane to-
day in political battle for Ber-
lin launched by the Russians
with drive to control ground
entry into this capital from the
west.
The Soviet move resulted in shut
ting off military train traffic of
British and American forces from
their zones to the capital. Authori-
tative sources saw it as Soviet step
to try to squeeze the Western Allies
out of the city.
The Americans, British and
French protested. A report on the
crisis was rushed to British For
eign Secretary Bevin in London.
The Russian order, announced
only yesterday and effective last
midnight, requires all motor or rail
passengers and freight to undergo
Russian inspection at border con-
troll points. The Russians halted
two British and two American trains
this morning.
Blast From Moscow.
Simultaneous with the Russian
action came blast from Moscow
at four-poWer government in Ger
many. Pravda said it was at an end.
The Communist Party newspaper
said "the partition of Germany has
become an accomplished fact"
From their sectors of Berlin the
western Allies have attacked COM
munism, won the city election
against the Soviet-sponsored Social
ist Unity Party, and in general
proved stumbling blocks to Russian
attempts to communize the capital.
The Sovietlicensed press thundered
against the Americans, British and
French.
Last night the Russians installed
a Gordon across the only interna-
tional rail and road routes leading
from the city. Soviet check points
insisted on passing on each Allied
national going in or out of the city
soldier or civilian.
Soviet officers tried to board Brit
ish and American military trains
and were rejected. The Russians
then refused to let the trains
proceed.
Planes to Supply Americans.
Blocked on the ground, the Amer
leans took to the air. Gen. Lucius
D. Clay, the American military gov
ernor, ordered the Air Force to sup
ply the American community of
about 10000 persons in Berlin with
food and passenger service.
BY international agreement, Brit
ain and the United States have air
corridors over the Soviet zone to
airfields in Berlin, and can fly as
many flights day as they please.
The Russians cannot interfere with
the planes except by force. Trying
to shoot them down would be certain
to result in a most serious clash.
Adding to Berlin's already great
system of controls, the Russians
have thrown up checkpoints in their
sector inside the city, halting Ger
man vehicles passing into western
sectors and searching them. Soviet
licensed papers said this was to halt
Withdrawals of machinery from the
Russian sector of the city.
In the international picture, the
Russians would gain prestige in
some sections of Europe by forcing
the western powers out of Berlin
The issue arises at a crucial mo-
ment, in view of the coming cleo
tions in Italy and the struggle
against Communism elsewhere in
Europe.
Train Travel Cancelled.
Allied authorities said. the Rus
sian action, in effect. was a demand
that the three western powers sur
render sovereignty on their trains
and submit to a squeeze on their
position in Berlin.
Gen. Clay said for the time being
all American military train travel
to and from Berlin is Cancelled. He
said special flights from Frankfurt. !
American zone headquarters, to the
American controlled Tempelhof Air
(See BERLIN, Page A-5D