Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-11
Soviet Seeking
ToA||ay Berlin
Food Comp|aints
Conferees in Moscow
Reported at Tough
Bargaining Stage

BERLIN, Aug. 1.-THE Rus
slams boasted today they have
accumulated enough food here
to feed all Berlin for 40 days.
At the same time, however, COM
plants about hunger came from
the surrounding Soviet zone.
There have been repeated reports
not denied by the Russians-that
food shortages in their zone have
become aggravated The major
cause for this is believed to have
been the requisitioning of zonal
foodstuffs to support the Soviet
project to feed all Berlin, including
the blockaded Western sectors.
The Russians had said they would
import this supplemental food from
the Soviet Union.
Tough Bargaining Begun.
Diplomatic sources, in London re-
ported last night that the East-West
talks in Moscow had reached the
tough bargaining stage. A lid of
secrecy remained clamped on off,
cial news of the Moscow meetings,
but it was apparent the British For
eign Office felt the world would
know the outcome by the end OF the
week.
Informants in the British capital
said failure to hammer out a set
Element of the Berlin stalemate has
held up establishment of a basis
for four-power talks on all Ger
many.
w. Stuart Symington, American
Secretary for Air, and Gen. Hoyt
Vandenberg, Air Force chieflof staff,
arrived in Wiesbaden by plane from
London last night. They were met
by 1t. Gen. Curtis E. Lemay, Air
Force commander in Germany.
The officials were accompanied by
Maj. Gen. Leon w. johnson, COM
mander of the new Sd Air Division
of B-29 bombers being formed in
Britain, and Brig. Gen. T. S. Power,
American air attache in England.
The arrival of such high-ranking
officials caused speculation that their
visit indicated American determina-
ton to keep the air lift going
through the winter, if the current
Moscow talks fail to break the
blockade.
City Regime Accused.
The Soviet-licensed news agency,
Adm. today accused the anti-Com-
munist city government of hamper
ing Russian efforts to feed Berlin.
The agency charged the city food
administration with making insu-
fficient preparations" for handling
the unloading of trains and barges
carrying Soviet grain to Berlin. 1t
claimed IS trainloads of grain were
standing idle in the city environs.
The Russians have set up special
staff of picked German Communists
inside the city's food administra-
ton to administer their feeding
project. AS a result the city has two
ration administrations.
British authorities announced to-
day they planned formal protest
to the Russians against a fight of
IL Soviet Yak fighter planes over
Western Berlin last night.
Flight Causes Excitement.
The fight caused considerable ex-
element among Western residents.
Air Commodore r. N. White, chief
of the Raj at Gatow Airport, said
the protest would be submitted
through the four-power Berlin air
safety center.
officers at Gatow said the planes,
flying in two formations were at
1000 feet and there was no question
of "buzzing" the area. American
authorities had no comment.
A German policeman from the
French sector of Berlin was arrested
and jailed by the Communist
trolled section of the Berlin police
force. He was the ninth officer of
the Western zone force to be so
detailed.
Publication Squeeze Grows.
Western Allied officials charged
that Russian distribution Setup
designed to kill free exchange of in
formation is squeezing Western
licensed publications out of the
Soviet occupation zone Of Germany.
The Russians had subscribed to
the free interzonal exchange OF
printed matter under four-power
agreements.
An unofficial source said the