Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-03
German Reds
Claim Control
Of East Berlin
Cite Sovereignty
Treaty Of Sept. 20;
West Holds Firm

West Holds Firm
BERLIN, Dec. 3 R.-Com-
munist East Germany claimed
today the Russians gave it full
control over East Berlin in the
treaty they signed September 20
in Moscow.
The claim was made in an
editorial in Neues Deutschland.
official newspaper Of the East
Germany Communist Party. 1t
was the third day in a row the
Communists have used the pa
per to proclaim that they rather
than the Russians now boss East
Germany and East Berlin.
The editorial declared the
treaty established the full SOW
ereignty of the (Communist)
German Democratic Republic. -
It added there was complete
clarity" on the subject.
The preamble to the Russian
East German treaty said both
parties respect the obligations"
both have under International
agreements concerning all of
Germany" At the time this was
construed by the West as recog-
mixing the four-power status of
Berlin.
Duties Changed
The East German government,
meanwhile, announced a new
definition Of duties" for its cabi-
net members. The announce
ment. as carried by the official
news agency Adm. gave no de-
tails except that Walter Ulbricht,
Communist Party boss, has been
reappointed First Deputy Pre-
mier under Premier Otto Grote-
wohl.
It also said Bruno Leuschner,
chairman of the State Planning
Commission. was given the rank
Of Deputy Premier. Mr.. Leusch-
ner's elevation gives East Ger
many 10 Deputy Premiers.
ADM said the new definition
Of duties" was designed to i'm
prove the worK of the state ap-
paratus."
Get CaI.al Permits
The Russians have decided to
turn over to the East German
Communists the issuance of all
permits for canal traffic between
Berlin and West Germany, 1t
was learned.
Senator Otto Theuner. West
Berlin director Of traffic, said the
new system goes into effect De-
cember 81.
Canal barges carry virtually all
Of Berlin's coal and about one
third Of the city's other supplies.
They have operated on Russian
issued permits since the war.
Meanwhile. the Western pow
ers served notice on the Russians
again that they will hold their
bridgehead In divided Berlin I'M
til all Germany Is unified.
C0nant in Berlin
United States Am bassa d or
James B. Conant came from
Bonn to reiterate this pledge be-
fore a crowded news conference
in which he also spoke for the
British and French, saying:
1.-THE position of our govern
ments in regard to the status of
Berlin is unchanged. We insist
that the quadripartite status of
Berlin remains unaltered."
DR.. Conant conferred with the
United States Berlin staff and
with German city officials during
his one-day visit to explore the
incident which stirred the latest
East West conflict here-the de-
tention of two United States
Congressman and two other
Americans by Communist police
and Russian guards in East Ber-
lin last Sunday.
Tours Red Area
In defiance of the Soviet ex-
cuse for the original detention,
DR. Conant rode his big, black
sedan into East Berlin this after
noon and toured a portion of the
area.
And I had the American flag
flying" he said with a grin.
The Ambassador said he re-
garded the Soviet stand as "seri-
GUS" but he cannot say whether
II Is an isolated" case or part
Of "a general pattern. He de-
clined to speculate where such a
pattern would lead but he did
declare that so far as any block
AIDE" possibility is concerned, II
IA iyAly IL