Evening star., 1948-06-29
Germans Draft
Plea toU. n. in
Berlin 'sCriisis
Ruthless Inhumonity'
Charged by Britoin
In Soviet Blockade
U. S. DISCOURAGING U. N. in
tervention in Berlin crisis now.
Page A-3.
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
BERLIN, June 29.-Berlin' S
city government drafted today
an appeal for the United Nations
to intervene in the food crisis
caused by Russia's blockade Of
the city's land transport life
lines.
At the same time the British
military governor denounced the
Soviet blockade as ruthless inhu-
lnanity."
Frau Louise Schroeder, Berlin s
Socialist Lord Mayor, said the city
government had decided the United
Nations was the only institution
to which Berlin can appeal in its
present distress"
The city's Parliament is to meet
late today to consider the appeal.
Frau Schroeder said it would be
communicated first to the chiefs
of the four occupying armies and
then transmitted to Lake Success
through a neutral military mission,
probably either Danish or Nor
wegian.
She said the note as drafted could
mot be considered an affront to
any of the occupying powers
meaning Russia. Secretary Gen.
eral Trygve Lie of the United Ma
tions was reported in Lake Sue
cess last night to be studying
whether to present the Berlin stu
alton to the Security Council.
Robertson Addresses Council.
Gen. Sir Brian Robertson, the
British military governor for Ger
many. declared that if the Russians
persist in their blockade of Berlin it
will constitute an act of ruthless
inhumanity unparalleled in the his
tory of the world"
Speaking to the final plenary ses-
sion of the German zonal advisory
council, Gen. Robertson declared:
The situation in Berlin is grave
And l use the word grave well know
ing its meaning. 1t is grave not only
for the people of Berlin, grave not
only for the people of Germany-it is
grave for the people of the world.
The people of the world will
condemn unhesitatingly this effort
to gain political advantage by an
attempt to starve a helpless popu-
lation.
las to the morale of the German
population of Berlin, it excites my
heartfelt admiration. They will get
every support-every support-that
the Western powers can give them.
The zonal advisory council is be-
ing discontinued because of the
forthcoming establishment of a.
semi-independent government in
Western Germany.
Gen. Robertson's strong language
indicated that he probably had re-
ceived a rebuff from the Russians
or his demand of last Saturday
that they lift Immediately their
transport embargo on Berlin or take
blame for starving 100000 Ber-
liners of the western occupation
sectors.
Threat to Peace Seen.
A resolution presented to Berlin
City Parliament for adoption said
the Soviet land blockade presents
threat to international peace and
security" which demands quick u. N
Intervention.
1t said 100000 Germans in the
American. British and French sec
tors were doomed to physical ruin
unless help comes quickly"
With the land and freight traffic
still shut off the United States Air
Force was conducting its biggest
postwar operation, flying in emer-
gency supplies for a German popu-
lation now subsisting on one
months reserve stocks.
The RAF Joined the United States
Air Force in bringing emergency
supplies for blockaded Western Ber-
lin
Gen. Robertson conferred tonight
with Gen. Lucius D. Clay, American
commander, on the crisis. A terse
announcement said they were dis
cussing the general situation"
Blockade Pinches Russians.
The Russians, meanwhile. acknowl-
edged that they are being pinched
by their own blockade. The Soviet
controlled press announced that
emergency imports Of $4,000 tons
Of hard coal are being rushed in from
Poland.
These imports are designed to
make up for the loss Of Ruhr coal
from Western Germany, which is
cut off from Berlin by the Soviet
clampdown on rail transport from
the West.
An announcement last midnight
by the Russian-controlled German
news agency that the Russians were
relaxing their zonal border restric-
tions. to permit resumption OF inter-
zcnal travel by Germans remained
ICee GERMAN Pave Ar