Evening star., 1948-08-26
Berlin Mob, Led
By Reds, Storms
10000 Shout Against
Regime; 500 Occupy
Assembly Chamber
BY the kssoeioisd Press

BERLIN, Aug. 26.-Backed by
a bowling crowd, pro-Commu-
nists forced their way into Ber-
Inns City Hall today and took
over the assembly chamber for
a propaganda barrage against
the i-Communist city gov
ernment.
While 10000 or more persons
shouted and surged outside, about
500 pushed through police lines into
the building and took seats in the
third-t1oo assembly hall. They re-
mained there long enough to hear
TRADES against the city government
and then left to join the huge
crowd outside.
Gen. Lucius D. Clay, American
occupation commander, declared in
Frankfurt such demonstrations
against the Berlin government are
doomed to fail.
mo action committees he told
newsmen, "are going to take over
the government of the millions of
people we are responsible for"
The City Hall is in the Russian
sector of Berlin. The Socialist Party
announced it is planning a counter
demonstration outside the burned
out German Reichstag Building,
which, though 1t is in the British
sector, is only a stones throw from
the Soviet sector border.
Session Called of.
During the wild demonstration.
Communist leaders shouted demands
for IAN end to this bankrupt city
government" They called for for
nation of an administration in
Berlin which will work hand in
hand with the great Soviet Union
and countries of Eastern Europe"
Berlin's city Parliament (Coun-
Gill, predominantly anti Communist,
had been scheduled to vote today on
resolution to send a Berlin dele
CATION to Western Germany's con-
stitutional Assembly at Bonn Sep
.ember l. They called off the ses-
sion when it became known that the
Socialist Unity Party (SED), spon-
sored by the Russians and domi-
mated by the Communists, planned
the demonstration. Two SED men,
bers of the nine-man senior Parlia-
mentary Committee voted against
postponement.
While the Communists met inside,
the crowd outside chanted the Red
anthem, the 'Internationale." In
the hall, Karl Litke, SED member
of the senior committee, demanded
a voice for his party in ruling the
city. The SED was defeated soundly
in the October. 1916, elections, in
which the Socialists emerged as
the strongest party.
No Casualties Reported.
Litke dio not say how he proposed
to set up a new city administration
The SED already is on record
against new elections this fall.
No casualties were reported. BY
midafternoon, large part Of the
crowd had dispersed. A 10-man
SED delegation met with Acting
Mayor Ferdinand Friedensburg.
Mr.. Friedensburg told news con-
ference later:
We will stay here and do our
duty"
He said today's session OF the
assembly was called off because he
could get no assurance from Soviet
sector German police that they
would protect the city government
from physical pressure" such as
the June % rioting, when several
legislators were manhandled by
pro-Soviet demonstrators.
Replies to Soviet Demand.
To the SED demand that the city
government accept the Soviet offer
of food and jobs for Western Ber-
liners, Mr. Friedensburg replied this
was up to individual Berliners to
decide as they saw fit.
1T is our opinion the majority of
Berliners want to remain independ-
ent." he said. "If the SED does not
agree to this principle of majority
rule. let them go before the voters
in october and have them decide"
The SED has been agitating to
postpone the scheduled October
elections.
Gen. Clay, in Frankfurt on busi-
ness, planned to fly back to Berlin
late today. He said he had only
partial reports of the demonstration,
but at the moment I don't take it
very seriously"
Emphasizing his assertion that he
foreSaw no serious trouble in the
near future. Gen Clay said in reply
TO question, I'VE have no thought
(See BERLIN, Page A-3D