Evening star., 1948-04-27
AMG 10 Query Soviet
On Reason for Flight
|0f Berlin Police Chief
BY the Assoeioisd Press

BY the Assoeiotsd Press
BERLIN, April T.-American
authorities announced today
they will demand an explana-
ton from the Russians tomorrow
or Thursday as to why Berlin's
chief of police fled to the western
zones of the city.
They said the chief, Hans Kanig
told them he ran to escape being
arrested by Soviet officials ques-
tioning him about the disciplining
of a policeman who lured a Ger
man citizen into the Russian sector
to be kidnapped.
The western licensed Socialist
press reported a new kidnapping of
German civilian today, and one
paper published safety rules titled,
How to guard yourself against kid
naping."
The paper said a German man
living in the Soviet zone was seized
by two armed Russians who held
of German police and civilians
with a pistol. then took their man
away in car.
The newspaper warned jittery
Berliners: BE careful, distrustful
Of strangers, and defend yourself
with all means"
Propaganda Stepped Up.
The Russian-controlled press,
meanwhile, stepped up its propa-
ganda against the United States and
the Marshall Plan, Taegliche Rund-
shau, the official Soviet Army news
paper in Berlin. said the Americans
are trying to organize the Germans
for a new war against the Soviet
Union.
THE Americans are trying to
make cannon fodder out of the
German people," the paper said.
The Russian licensed papers, ap-
parently trying to counteract the
morale effect of the Marshall Plan
spoke vaguely of raised food rations
after The new harvest. 1t also limited
rationing might be abandoned In
the Soviet sector to which the Mar
shall Plan does not apply.
The days echoing~ sensation in
Berlin, however, was the police
officials flight into the western
sector.
Long Target Of Russians.
Chief Kanig, a Socialist, long
has been the target of the Russians
and OF the Communists who con-
troll Berlin's central police head
quarters. They have been trying to
force him out of office.
William T. Babcock, American
deputy commandant in Berlin. said
that if Chief Kanig's story is true
the Russians are violating a four
power agreement which says a Ger
man official with city-wide power
can be arrested only on orders of
the four-power Allied Kommanda-
tura. He said the Russians will be
told Chief Kanig's story and asked
to explain.
Chief Kanig, who commands
1000 uniformed police, was quoted
as saying he ran away because he
did not want to disappear like his
predecessor. an officer named Hen
rich. Heinrich was arrested by the
Russians in August, 1945, and has
not been heard from since.
Escaped Under Ruse.
Chief Kanig told them that during
his questioning he asked to be al
lowed to get some documents from
his car. The Russians agreed, and
Chief Kanig kept on going until he
got to the western sector.
The question Of kidnapings has
been sore point between Russia
and the Allies. American military
authorities have accused the Rus
slams OF wholesale abductions. The
Russians vetoed an American pro-
posal for four power investigation,
and countered with a charge that
Americans are abusing citizens in
in Berlin's western sector.
The Americans said the Russians
once admitted in the Kommanda-
tura that they arrested Chief Ka-
nig's predecessor and sentenced him
to prison for asserted subversive
acts.
Trouble in Cartel Section.
Meanwhile, trouble was reported
in the American Military Govern
ment section which is charged with
breaking up cartels. Maj. Gen
George P. Hays, deputy American
military governor, said he had re-
Gently charged 10 American en-
ployes with being disloyal to their
jobs.
Gen. Hays said the 19 contendeo
the breakup work was not being
done with enough rigor. and that
some of the 19 are leaving govern
ment service voluntarily.
He added that employees are free
to express their personal opinions
until a decision is made. Then, he
said, I'VE expect them to carry out
their duties"
Gen. Hays charges were made
PuoAAC yeoeCiudy Wllcll Vic SOVltI-
sponsored news agency used the
contents of his memorandum as the
basis of a story. Gen. Hays said he
did not know how the agency gpt
it's information.
White was not the Official" nup-
tial color until 1918 in the United
States.