Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-10-25
BERLIN
Continued From First Page

SIX hours To-Day. Inc alerL
ended at 1855 pm, but 10
United States tanks remained
at the border facing East Ber-
Lin as dusk fell.
Explaining the bus incident,
"a spokesman said the United
States provost marshal, 1t. Col.
Robert Sabolyk. decided to or
der the vehicles to return to
West Berlin in order not to
Sendanger the women passen-
gers.
- The buses we're on one OF the
regular sightseeing trips into
East Berlin run three times
weekly for American soldiers
and civilian personnel and
Their dependents.
East German police never be-
fore stopped the buses, even
rwhen they were filled with
sscivihan SightSeers. The buses
fare painted in the Army's dis
sstinctive olive-green and clearly
marked as military vehicles.
IL Sequence of Events
= The day began with these
.seyents:
- First, three United States
sSjeepS carrying IL military po-
lice with fixed bayonetS escorted
'two American civilians in an
Army licensed private car past
Eastern police guarding the
Communists wall through the
divided city.
The East Berliners had re-
fused to let the Americans
Through when they would not
sshow Identification papers. The
United States Army brought up
IN armored personnel carrier
.-and then the military police
look the Americans through in
defiance of an East German
order that all allied personnel
in civilian clothes must show
Identification papers to cross
Into East Berlin.
Restriction Ordered
1.-The United States and the
..other Western powers do not
recognize the East German re-
lgime and insist upon maintain
Ing the war-won right that
Western personnel do not have
TO show Identification papers
TO East German police.
Then Gen. Watson an
bounced q temporary restriction
on the movement Of American
private vehicles into East Ber-
m.
,sThis was followed by the
show of force along. the bor-
,lderS.
STen United States Patton
tanks and another armored
personnel carrier rolled up to
stations at the Friedrich
.sttaSse crossing point, the only
one open to allied personnel,
Shortly after the American
civilians and military police re-
turned to West Berlin.
1.-THE British moved a second
company Of infantry, three
Centurion tanks and support
ing arms into the Tiergarten, a
wooded area opposite the sector
border near the Brandenburg
Gate. The British normally
maintain a company of troops
In the area and an army
spokesman called the reinforce
ments precautionary.
The French dispatched a
military patrol Of eight men to
set up an observation post at
the GeSundbrunnen elevated
railroad station overlooking the
Communist sector.
Water Cannon Ready
Travellers from East Berlin
reported the East German po-
lice had wheeled up a water
cannon and small armored
car to within about 800 yards
Of the border. The water can
non. a favorite weapon of the
Reds on the border, can spout
a powerful Jet Of water, capable
Of knocking a man off his feet.
A spokesman for Gen. Wat
son said persons in civilian
clothes driving in Army
licensed vehicles had been
asked not to pass through the
Friedrichstrasse checkpoint,
the only entrance to East Ber-
lin open to allied personnel.
1--WE are seeking an incident
free period to permit the
United States commandant in
Berlin and The Soviet COM
mandant to discuss this COM
plicated situation" the spokes-
man said.
u. S. Shows Determination
The demonstration of United
States determination occurred
shortly before II am.
A driZzling rain fell as the
United States Military Police
jeeps and the American civil
ians' car waited to move into
East Berlin.
Word of the events spread
quickly and West Berliners ran
to the checkpoint to watch the
drama. Crowds formed on the
Communist side of the border,
too.
why don't they go in and
teach them a lesson?" a West
Berlin ShopKeeper asked. They
(the Communists) need to be
shown some force. That's the
only thing they understand"
LOudspeaker Blares
A loudspeaker on the Com
rluniSt side started blaring
"provocation." A CT muttered,
Jaw, shut up"
Tensions rose. American
officers in the checkpoint could
be seen in almost constant tele-
phone conversations. Howard
Trivers, political adviser to E.
Allan Lightner. jr., deputy chief
Of the United States mission in