Evening star., 1961-12-24
US. NoteHits
Berlin Incident

BERLIN, Dec. % (AP) The
United States Berlin command
ant Cancelled call on his Rus
sian counterpart today because
of what the United States mis-
sion said was a Calculated af-
front" The Russians were
handed a stiff protest.
Maj. Gen. Albert Watson IL
in his uniform and in an
Army car, refused to agree to
a demand of East German
guards that his three civilian
aides, including an interpreter
show Identification papers.
The tWo-star general was not
barred personally, officials said,
but he turned around at the
FriedrichStrasse crossing point
at the Communist wall and no
titled Col. Andrei Solovyev, So
Wet commandant in East Ber-
lin. that he was canceling an
IL am. appointment.
The American mission then
sent a protest to the Russians
that "this additional provoca-
tive restriction" would newt
ably heighten tension in Berlin
A United States spokesman
said one purpose of Gen. Wat
sons date with Col. Solovyev
was to protest a similar incident
Thursday, when Howard Triv-
ers, United States civilian po-
litical adviser, was denied entry
by East Berlin guards when he
refused to identify himself tt
the East Germans.
Like Gen. Watson, Mr.. Triv.
ers Cancelled an appointment al
the Soviet headquarters al
Karlshorst, a suburb deep ir
East Berlin.
Today's protest challenged
the Soviets to assume responsi.
bility for the actions of East
German guards, whom the
Western allies refuse to recog.
nize.
A United States statement
said "today's action by Soviet
sector German police can only
be considered a calculated af-
front on the part of the Soviets
designed to rupture hitherto
existing contacts between the
United States commander ano
themselves.
SOviets Responsible
The statement warned that
interference with these con.
facts through this additiona
provocative restriction will
inevitably heighten tension il
Berlin at a time when thu
Soviet Union is proclaiming it!
willingness to seek peaceful so.
lutions of international prob.
lens"
1t declared that the Soviet!
bear sole responsibility for the
actions of the East Germans
who were referred to "as Soviet
sector German police"
The incident boiled down K
the same issue that brought {
16-hour conformation of Amer.
lean and Soviet tanks al
Friedrichstrasse two months
ago. This was the refusal Of
the Western allies to deal witt
the East Germans. on the
grounds that Berlin is Jointly
occupied by the victorious al
lies of World War 1.-THE
Americans, British, French ano
Russians.
Amid tension over Fried
richstrasSe, the only entrance
through the wall into East Ber-
lin for foreigners, the East
Germans made no attempt tc
assert authority over alliec
military traffic on the l10-mile
Autobahn between isolated Ber-
lin and West Germany.
Soviet officials checked
through a United States con.
voy returning to Berlin from
training in West Germany
without incident, the Army
said.
Note Expected
The outfit that rolled
through snow flurries into Ber.
lin was Company C, 3rd Battle
Group, 9th Infantry. A few
hours before it left the city last
week end. East Germany is.
sued a sharp warning thai
United States troop move
ments along the highway mus
stop.
There was speculation tha
the protest in the Watson in,
cident might be followed by .
note from Washington to Mos
COW. The United States state
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