Evening star., 1948-07-18
Homer
Continued From Page C-1.)

| bC ASOA Wy WIG SAI1GCO 0edVCc 11AtO
Berlin. The Russians insisted that
the highway route be from Berlin to
Helmstadt to Trankfurt-some 60
miles farther than a direct route
between Berlin and Frankfurt would
have been. Gen. Clay insisted that
American planes have the right to
fly from anywhere in the United
States zone to Berlin, Marshal Zhu-
kov insisted that the flights be only
along a specified 20-mile corridor
Gen. Clay finally agreed to the cor
ridor.
Food Problem Arises
According to one participant in
this conference, there was no writ
ten agreement signed by the Rus
SLAMS confirming the understanding
reached verbally.
! The night before United States
forces moved into Berlin ON July S,
Marshal Zhukov informed the
Americans he couldn't withdraw
his Russian forces until the United
States made arrangements to feed
the German people in it's sector.
This was the first mention of the
food problem. The Americans moved
in anyway, and in later con-
ference insisted that all of Berlin
should be fed from the same sources
as it always had been. Much of its
food had come from Eastern Ger
many-in the Soviet occupation
zone. But Marshal Zhukov held that
each military commander would
have to make arrangements for his
own sector.
So the United States began moving
food into its part of Berlin to feed
the people there. Now, with Russia
blocking rail and highway access
to the city from the western zones,
the United States Air Force is ex-
erting itself to fly in tons of food
each day.
The July 6 American note to Mos
COW emphasized this Governments
rights" as joint occupying power
in Berlin. 1t charged that the
Russian blockade is a clear viola
ton of existing agreements con-
corning the administration of Berlin
by the four occupying powers
These agreements, the July
note added. implied the right of
free access to Berlin. This right
has long been confirmed by usage"
There was no mention of a specific
written accord on this point, how
ever, except by reference to the
Truman-Stalin exchange in June,
1945.
In not directly questioning this
original right" Moscow in reply
insisted the agreement for four
power administration of Berlin was
"an inseparable component part Of
the agreement on the quadripartitie
administration Of Germany as a
whole" It charged Separate ac-
tions." by the western powers in
their occupation zones destroyed"
the system for four-power control
of all Germany and thereby "un-
dermined" their rights to participate
in administration of Berlin.
Followed Potsdam Plan
The Potsdam agreement laid
down the principles for four-power
control of Germany, including the
treating Of all Germany as "a single
economic unit" The western pow
ers charge that Russian blocking OF
measures for carrying out this and
other parts of the Potsdam agree
ment have forced them to take
steps to carry out the agreed OBJ
jectives" so far as possible in their
own zones. This was their justifi-
cation for putting into effect a sep
arate currency reform and moving
for creation of separate provision
al government in Western Germany
steps which Moscow charges are
part of systematic violation" OF
the Potsdam decisions. And so goes
the vicious. circle.
Secretary of State Marshall made
it clear at the Big Four Foreign
Ministers Conference in Moscow last
; year that this Government has
finally realized the dangers of gen.
eralities in agreements with the
Russians. One of the things called
. for In the Potsdam agreement was
the eventual reconstruction of Ger
, man political life ION a democratic
, basis"
II On March II, 1947, Gen. Marshall
told the Foreign Ministers Council
this directive should be made more
precise so as to assure unity of pro-
cedure within the different German
. zones" He added that IT realize
the word democracy is given many
different interpretations" He went
on to give an extended explanation
of just what the word means te
Americans.
; The time for precise, specific spell.
ing-out of agreements about Ger.
, many was in the flush Of victory
r three years ago. Now, as events
have made amply clear. the gen.
: eralities Of the accords actually
made then mean something quite
different to the Russians from
what va meant.