Evening star., 1948-06-29
U. 5. Discouraeing
u. n. Action Now on
Blockade Of Berlin

bI0Ckd0e OF Berlin
The United States today discour-
aged immediate United Nations in
tervention in the Berlin crisis |
caused by Russia's blockade of rail
shipments into the city.
1--WE are deeply appreciative of
the role which the United Nations
might play should the situation in
Berlin further deteriorate," State |
Department spokesman said.
Meanwhile" he added, this Gov
ernment is exploring every means
Of arriving at settlement of the
differences which have arisen"
The State Department statement |
followed a report from Lake Sue
cess, N. Y, that an American
spokesman said there today that
the United States is considering
a request from U. N. Secretary Cen /
eral Trygve Lie for action in the
Security Council to break the Ber-
lin deadlock.
Mr.. Lie was reported studying
whether to put the Berlin situa-
ton before the Council. He could
do this under charter article, pro-
viding he can call the Councils
attention to any situation likely |
to threaten peace.
The American spokesman at Lake
Success said the request had been
referred to the State Department. |
Mr.. Lie was reported feeling out
the delegations of the five great
powers on the Berlin question.
A British delegation spokesman
said Mr.. Lie had approached Sir
Alexander Cadogan last night. Mr..
Cadogan was reported to have asked
London for instructions. He had |
received no word up to noon.
1t was made clear that officials
here do not believe the situation
calls for United Nations action at
the moment, although the situation
might reach that stage later.
Lincoln White, State Department
press officer, told reporters that no
formal reply has been drafted as
yet to Mr. Lies request for the
opinions of the big powers as to
whether the Council should take up
the Berlin crisis now.
1t was understood, however, that
the reply would be along the lines
of the statement read by Mr. White
expressing appreciation of the pos !
sible U. N. role if the Berlin Situa-
ton should get worse. :
There was no official indication !
of what might come out of current
efforts of this Government to ex-
plore every means of arriving at
settlement" Mr.. White said he just
did not know what might result
from these exploratory moves.
Joint Protest Possible.
He did not rule out the possibility
OF a joint protest directly to Mos
COW by the American, British and
French governments.
officials of the western occupa-
ton powers in Germany are under
stood to be comforting with the
Russian commander in Berlin in an
effort to work out some means of
lifting the blockade which has cut
off normal shipments of food into
the western sector of the city.
If these discussions in Berlin
should come to a dead end, the
American, British and French gov
ernments will have to decide on the
next step, which might be to take
the problem to the governmental
level with a protest to Moscow.
1t was indicated that United Ma
tions Intervention in the situation
would be favored here only if these
direct steps should fail.
Series of Parleys Held.
Diplomatic and military officials
held a fast series of conferences
here and abroad which pointed to
an early break in the Berlin impaSse.
These were the major develop
ments:
/. Undersecretary of State Lovett
conferred with President Truman
yesterday and later attended a
White House cabinet session. There
was no official word on the topics
under discussion, but it was learned
that one of them was the Berlin
situation.
2. Undersecretary of the Army
Draper and American Ambassador
Lewis w. Douglas went into Lon
don huddle with British Foreign
Secretary Ernest Bevin. Mr.. Dra-
per then flew to Berlin to join 1t.
Gen. A. C. Wedemeyer of the Amer
ican general staff for conferences
with the American commander,
Gen. Lucius D. Clay.
g. Prime Minister Atlee summoned
Field Marshall Viscount Mont
gomery, chief Of the British I'M
perial General Staff, to special
cabinet session last night.
Secretary of State Marshall is due
to return to his desk tomorrow from.
Walter Reed Hospital where he has
been undergoing routine physical
checkup. Either he or Mr.. Lovett
may have some announcement on
the subject at the usual State De-
partment news conference that day.