Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-10-12

GlHlS-lOuSH anu SIlOOuy
topped with broken bottles set
in cement.
But the full significance OF
the wall strikes home only when
you talk to the Germans and
other Europeans about it.
They agree that the wall is
a shocking demonstration, once
M. FNkIund hos just returned from
q visit to Berlin, Bonn, Paris, Londor
ond military installations in Wesl
Germany. He tolked to high Allied
ofFiciols, military leaders, soldier.
and citizens. This is the first Of q
series Of reports on the Berlin erisi.
and the defense Of Europe.
again, that the Communists are
brutal and inhuman. They also
say. however. that the wall
shows that the Communists
are moving forward con-
fidently while the West is in
decisive and on the defensive.
That the wall was accepted
with only a paper protest, some
Berliners conclude. is a sign
that the Communists can take
other brutal steps and get away
with them or can win more con-
cessionS in negotiation.
This emotion-clouded ap-
praisal Of the meaning of the
wall ignores realities high
Allied officials in Europe reply.
First, the wall is not the issue
that the West should choose
to fight a war over; second. it
does not take away basic Allied
rights in Berlin, rights which
the three occupiers and pro-
tectors of West Berlin - the
United States. Britain and
France-will fight for rather
than give up through pressure
or negotiation.
Blow Against Decency
Still, the wall remains in
Europe. If there is negotiation
over Berlin it will be a major
issue mayor Willy Brandt says
it must be the first issue the
Allies raiSe). And if the wall
continues to stand it will be
a permanent reminder Of a
successful blow against decency.
The wall itself cuts for %
jagged miles through church
yards and living rooms, across
streets and through bombed
out vacant lots. There are
three openings. heavily guarded.
On the East side Of the wall
are numerous semi-military
Communist police armed with
handguns, rifles and machine
guns and backed up by tanks.
On the West side there is a
thin patrol of police who keep
West Berliners from coming so
close to the wall they could
create incidents. Every day, all
day long, Berliners stand on
high spots along the wall and
wave at friends and relatives
or just stare across. Every day
there are escape attempts. Per-
hapS 10 or 20 persons make it
jumping from a Second-story
window, ramming through with
a truck or swimming across in
the spots where canals and
barbed wire take the place OF
cinderblock and broken glass.
Shots are fired, the West
Berliners scream and try to
help the refugees and the stolid
Peoples Police" drag the I'M
fortunate losers back into their
cage.
Several-Day Project
The wall was built over a
period of several days, starting
August Is. American officials
in Berlin say they did not
grasp it's significance immedi-
ately. The East German police
have always checked traffic
crossing the sector line even
while permitting, in general.
free passage.
While the wall went up, the
East German government as
sured Berliners that IL cross
ing points would be maintained.
Then they said seven would be
kept. Finally all but three
streets were walled off. Berlin
ers are forbidden to cross;
West Germans may cross dur
ing certain hours and Ameri-
can, British and French citi-
zens may cross through their
Friedrichstrasse gate at any
time.
AS the wall grew the COM
manders of the three Allied
garrisons in Berlin discussed
with each other and their SUI
periors in Washington, London
and Paris what should be done.
What the military men on the
scene recommended they will
not say. But the final decision
for all three countries was to
let the wall alone and send
protest notes to the Russians.
The notes said, in effect,
that Berlin was occupied by
four powers and that no one
of them certainly not the
East Berlin police - could
specify who was to walk on Ger
tain streets. The Communists
said that Allied travel into and
in the Eastern sector was not
being stopped. but the illegal
crossing Of Berliners was.
There the matter stands.
What should the Allies have
done about the wall? When
this question is asked Of high
Allied and German officials
the answer, almost unanimous
ly, is that everything that could
be done was done. They say
that if the wall had been
knocked down the Communists
probably would have started to
shoot. A police fight would