Evening star., 1948-09-05
Partial Accord
lis Indicated in
Berlin Par|eys
Experts on Transport
Are Summoned for
Meeting Today
BY the Asseeiafsd Press

BERLIN, Sunday, Sept. s.
There were hints today that the
four-poWer Berlin talks had
reached a final stage with par
tial agreement on finance and
trade problems connected with
the lifting of the 73-day Soviet
blockade of the city.
The four military governors yes
terday met for the fifth day in their
attempt to find a formula for end
ing the East-West cold war over
Berlin. They had been given the
assignment by the representatives
of their governments at the Mos
COW talks.
The military governors did not
complete the technical work as
signed them, but transport experts
scheduled a meeting for today, q
fact which indicated the negotia-
tlons may have advanced to a final
stage.
Demand Near Recognition.
The Transport Committee is con-
cerned with reopening the land and
water ways to Berlin.
The Russians have insisted on
clearing up Berlin's financial mud
die through recognition of their
Eastern mark as precondition for
lifting the blockade.
Meanwhile, American military
police said the Russians took six
American soldiers into custody in
Berlin during the night but later re-
leased all of them.
Names of the soldiers were with.
held pending an investigation. The
police also refused to disclose the
circumstances surrounding the in
cident.
Skepticism Expressed.
Published reports that the Allied
military governors had reached
agreement in principle on ending
the blockade were met with skepti-
cism in informed quarters.
These sources said general direc-
tives for a solution to the Berlin
crisis were laid down in the Moscow
talks, and that the job here was Of
technical nature to determine
how 1t could be done in practice.
The sources said the Berlin talks
were moving quite slowly.
The stress yesterday seemed to
be on the problem Of substituting a
single currency for Berlin's dual
money. A long meeting was held by
the financial experts, followed by
three-hour session of Generals
Lucius D. Clay, Sir Brian Robertson
and Pierre Koenig and Marshal
Cassily Sokoloysky.
The date of their next meeting
was left open, apparently depending
on the outcome of today's transport
conference. Gen. Clay said yester-
day: II don't know whether we will
have a meeting tomorrow or not"
The usual strict secrecy was main.
tanned on all the discussions.
Three-Party Bloc Holds Attention.
The attention of Berlin political
observers turned to the building of
a three-pa democratic bloc" by
Berlin's Communists.
Anti Communists called the bloc
an action committee" by which the
Communists hoped to take over
power from the democratically
elected anti Communist city govern
ment.
The Communists said the bloc's
objective was to force change in
policies of the anti Communist city
government
Under leadership Of the Com
munists, the Soviet-sponsored So
cialist Unity Party (SED) formed its
bloc with splinter groups of Ber-
Inns Liberal Democrats and Con-
servative Christian Democrats who
have split off from their pro-West-
|ern parties.
The Communists said some So
cialists had also participated, but
Socialist leaders said no authorized
Representatives Of their party had
attended.
Session Termed "Rump Meeting"
William T. Babcock, American
deputy commandant in Berlin, said
the bloc's membership represented
only about IL per cent of the city
assembly.
Louis Glaser. chief Of the Ameri-
can Military Governments civil af-
fairs branch, said a session of the
bloc in the City Hall chambers FRI
day night was purely rump meet
ing of small minority party with a
few discredited hangers-on Of other
parties"
DR.. Otto Suhr, Socialist chairman
of the city council. said the Com
munists, after their "putsch" at
tempts, now are seeking to exploit
the situation in order to wrest
power.
Dr. Suhr referred to the action Of
Communicated demonstrators who
forced the city assembly to postpone
two scheduled meetings.
The city council set another meet