Evening star., 1949-02-19
Russia Sets Up
No-Man' 's-Land
Through Berlin
Pedestrians Banned in
Danger Zones Created
At Control Points
BY the Assoeioted Press


BERLIN, Feb. 19.-Russia set up
a no-man's land through the
center of Berlin today after sew
eral border shooting incidents, in
cluding at least two fatalities.
Danger zones" were established
around various control points and
all pedestrians and loiterers
banned.
These control points-already
strengthened by roadblocks of iron
stanchions and paving stones-are
the places where the Communists
stop and inspect traffic crossing
from their sector to Western
occupied Berlin.
Divided Berlin, the vortex OF
the East-West cold war, also is
in the grip of a currency scare.
Signs increased that the Russians
intend new money switch here
and in their surrounding occupa-
ton zone. The Russians denied
this, but Germans living in the
East sector reported restrictions
had been placed on, buying to
prevent dumping of marks.
Other Developments.
There were these other develop
ments:
l.. The Russians set the stage
for what may be another peace
offensive" gesture. The Commu-
mist Democratic Womens Fed
GRAFTON" handed to Soviet Ambas-
sador v. S. Seminov message
for Prime Minister Stain asking
that the Kremlin boss meet with
chiefs Of the other great powers
"for peaceful settlement of in
ternational problems. Similar
messages were sent to President
Truman and the Prime Ministers
Of Britain and France.
2. After having split the city's
court system and forced the elect
ed judges to move to the west,
the Soviet commandant. Mai.
Gen. Alexander Kotikov, issued a
decree replacing them with "peo-
pies judges" He said the new
judges need not have legal train
ing "but are chosen for their COM
mon sense and their moral and
political qualities.
8. West Berlin police charged
that Russian agents are trading
large amounts to eastern marks
on the black market for the more
stable western marks.
4. The American-British airlift
passed the million-ton mark for
supplies flown in since the Rus
slams imposed their land blockade
last June 26.
Two Fatal Shootings Recently.
The Russians claim their bor-
der guard is trying to halt Snug
Cling of contraband supplies into
the American, French and British
sectors.
There have been two fatal
shootings recently at the border
sectors. The latest involved
drunken motorist who was killed
yesterday when he attempted to
flee the Soviet-controlled police
into the American zone. Two by
ISLANDERS. one a 14-year-old girl,
were struck by stray bullets in an
other incident yesterday.
Things were relatively quiet on
the border last night. Western
anti-Communists beat up a Soviet
sector policeman when he crossed
the line while trying to halt a
truck going into the French Sec
tor. The Communists kidnapped
a Western sector policeman living
in their area.
Allied observers predicted the
new message to Mr.. Stain would
result in another offer from the
No. l Communist to meet Mr.
Truman-but on his own terms.
The Allied view was that the
Russians would exploit this for
propaganda especially aimed at
the Germans-representing them
selves as the champions of a Ger
man peace settlement.
East Marks Dumped.
In the currency. scare, resi-
dents of Western Berlin reacted
by dumping their East marks.
Money-changing stations were
thronged. The rate shot up from
the previous 3.9 East marks for /
West mark to for /. In the
black market it was even higher.
West Berlin police said plain
clothesmen watched Russian
agents from the zonal economic
commission trading as much as
10000 East marks for Western
currency at a considerable loss
on the West Berlin black market.
Some of these agents made sew
eral trips between the commits
(See BERLIN, Page A-2D