Evening star., 1953-07-06
Iron Hand Held Over
East German Rebels
By Soviet Masters
But They Use Velvet
Glove to Cope With
Romuniun Unrest
BY the Associated Press

BERLIN, July East Eu-
ropes Soviet masters displayed
both the iron hand and the vel
vet glove today in their at
tempts to quell riots, strikes
and outright rebellions by their
discontented peoples.
The soft approach was on in
Romania where Red leaders,
fearful of anti-Communist re-
volts, ordered additional rations
of bread, flour products, pota-
toes, vegetables. sugar and oil
distributed to the public.
The mailed fist still showed
in East Germany. East German
Justice Minister Max Fechner
announced that $4,000 persons
have been arrested for rebelling
against the regime. Disclosure
of the staggering total-first
public admission of the extent
of the repressive measures taken
in the wake of the June II riots
came as the government ad-
mitted that the spirit of revolt
is still alive.
In an open letter to East Zone
farmers, Prime Minister Otto
Grotewohl conceded that many
are still dissatisfied with mere
promises.
Rebels Being Released.
To appease the angry public,
GroteWohPs regime and its Rus
sian masters were reported re-
leasing gradually many of those
arrested as rebels.
Reports from the East Zone
toldsof new industrial strikes and
fresh unrest among farmers.
Refugees told West Berlin autho-
rites that the Eisleben coal
the Zeiss optical works
at Jena and a truck factory at
Halle have been affected by work
stoppages.
Despite the flood of reports tell
ing of disorders behind the Iron
Curtain-in Czechoslovakia, Bull
garia and Poland, as we'll as in
East Germany and Romania-
Western diplomats in Vienna ex-
pressed belief that the Commu-
nists still have the 70 million
restless East Europeans in the
states under control.
These diplomats said that al
though the disturbances are i'm
significant, they are
signs that the Kremlin's
past policies in East Europe have
been wrong and that the Krem-
lin is changing them.
Sugar Used as Bait.
The new Soviet leaders appar-
emily believe that if they treat
the man-in-the-street with more
kindesS, they will get more pro-
duction, one diplomat said, add
ing:
I'VE feel this is merely a new
tactic without any basic change
of heart. The goal of world rev.
is still thereto be won
by sugar instead of vinegar"
The Romanian switch to sweet
ening followed recent reports of
riots and plunderings of Commu-
mist collective farms near Buch-
Arrest. The government announce
ment said the increased rations
would be available next Saturday
in Bucharest, the nations capi-
tai, and the surrounding region.
they will be received
sometime between July Is and
81.
Food prices in Romania, fixed
after the nations currency was
devalued last year, repeatedly
have been going up steadily
toward a new high.
Polish Reports Denied.
Reports that spreading riots in !
Poland had forced declaration of |
martial law there drew an un-
usual fat denial last night from |
the Red Warsaw government. |
The Polish news agency PAP
broadcast a communique that no
measures had been
;aken in Poland.
The West Berlin newspaper
relegraf said Saturday night
martial law had been declared
n the Eilesian industrial area
(See GERMAN, Page A-6.) !