Evening star., 1948-06-12
RedsFree Trains
For Berlin After
A||-Night Halt
Russians Consent to
Discuss Whole Issue
At Meeting Monday
BY the Associoisd Press

BERLIN, June 12.-The Rus
SLAMS blocked freight shipments
from the western occupation
zones of Germany throughout
the night, but agreed to restore
the traffic to Berlin, American
and British officials announced.
An American official said the Rus
slams consented to discuss the whole
question of Berlin freight at spe-
cial meeting of Russian, American,
British and French transport off,
cials Monday.
Trains from the western zones
must pass through the Soviet Zone
of occupation west of Berlin in order
to reach this city. The Soviet check
point is at the border of the Russian
and British zones. American and
French traffic as we'll as British
traffic bound for Berlin passes that
check point.
Six British Trains to Move.
Six British trains which were held
up in the Soviet zone after the new
order became effective last night
will be released and sent to Berlin
as soon as locomotives can be pro-
vided for them, the British said.
The Russians also agreed to permit
normal traffic over the route
through the Russian zone by 18 daily
trains. There is a heavy backlog OF
trains held up by the Soviet order
however.
There are 100000 Germans and
25,000 Americans, French and Brit
ish in the Western sectors Of the
city who would be seriously affected
by a stoppage of freight shipments.
Gen. Lucius D. Clay, American
military governor, told news con-
feren~e freight train from the
Amel n zone was stalled this
afternC at the Anhalter railway
station Iii Berlin.
u. S. Train Cleared.
Later Col. H. w. Holmer, Ameri-
can transportation chief, said the
Anhalter train had been cleared 1t
was understood that American
switch engines, guarded by GIs,
broke up the stalled freight and
switched it to the proper points
when the Soviet-controlled rail Of
ficials refused to act.
The only other American train
stopped up to this afternoon was a
supply train destined for the Ger
man population of the American
sector.
Il don't know the full Russian in
tentions," Gen. Clay said. II in
tend to find out the facts before
deciding what action to take
Full terms of the British Russian
agreements were not made known
Immediately. The British said earlier
the Russians were mot unreason-
able" in requesting that shipments
for Berlin be labeled with their exact
destinations. They had been ad-
dressed simply to the Berlin Kom-
mandatura.
Trains were stopped at the Helm
stedt- -Marienborn control point on
the border of the British and Soviet
occupation zones. This was the
point where the Russians in April
ordered trains stopped for inspec-
tions by Soviet officials before pass
ing through the Soviet zone of Ger
many to Berlin. The four-power
Berlin enclave is an island we'll
within the Soviet zone of occupa-
tion.
Other Developments Listed.
There were other developments:
An American Military Government
offcial said Soviet-sponsored Ger
man Communists are attempting to
foment strike waves in the American
and British sectors of Berlin, osten-
sibly to protest western recognition
OF Communist leadership of
Berlin's trade union federation.
The Russians, who rejected Brit
ish demands to surrender the Berlin
radio station situated in the British
zone of Berlin, announced new
propaganda broadcast from the sta
ton, beamed to Western Germany
and designed to give what the Rus
slams call a true picture OF de-
velopments in the Russian zone as
we'll as information about their
own zones which they might not
know"
Earlier, United States Army off,
cials said they have posted guards
on American-operated railroad
switch engines in Berlin to keep
the Russians from taking them.
Travel Dispute RACES.
This week had witnessed an in
creasing controversy over travel be-
tween the Russian and British
American occupation zones.
The Russians today continued to-
turn back hundreds of Germans
seeking to travel into their zone
from Western Germany on the
grounds that new interZonal travel
documents were required.
At one point on the American
Soviet zone border the Russians
closed a station where exchange is
made of refugees and illegal border