Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-06

Continued From Page Al
make an attempt to ignore the
established procedure. Thus
our armored trucks came out
,of concealment to bar the way
and then the Americans and
British agreed to observe the
established procedure"
The reference to the British
apparently involved q British
convoy that was held up last
might for nearly an hour by
the Russians.
The businessmen's trip Is
sponsored by Time Magazine
Time personnel made complete
notes on Mr.. Khrushehev's re-
marks and later distributed the
transcript.
Possible Explanation
In Washington, a Govern
fment official said it is quite
possible both sides are right
when they say they followed
established procedures" He
Explained that the American
forces were under instructions
not to diSmount from their
vehicles and not to let the TAN
gates down. This was followed
strictly, he said.
on the other hand. Soviet
officials are required to count
how many Americans are In the
vehicles. The crisis arose when
the Soviet officer In charge
ordered the troops out Of the
trucks. Toward the end Of the
two-day siege, however. Russian
Officers looked into the truck
and were able 10 make Q count
Of the men, thus fulfilling their
established procedure" It Il
common practice for Russians
10 look into the trucks.
Its quite abvious that tHeir
procedures are quite flexible, =
the official said.
Versions Not Resolved
It might be noted that the
foregoing explanation does moi
resolve the conflict in the YER
sions on what happened, since
Mr.. Khrushchev indicated the
United States troops took some
affirmative step to end the
crisis. Sitting in their vehicles
to be counted would not con-
stitute such q step.
U. s. General Speaks
Mai. Gen. James H. Polk.
United States commandant In
Berlin. said the Russians "are
trying to make the point that
they ca1 the shots on the auto
balm. and we are determined
that they viii not make It."
Gen. Polk said previous hold
ups Of Allied conveys may have
been due to Misunderstanding
but this time the Russians
knew exactly what they were
risking.
I'VE are ready for anything
and are prepared to cope with
it." he asserted.
The grave conformation end.
ed in the early morning hours
after the British and French
sent conveys on to the auto.
balm In q show Of support for
the United States convoy. Tht
Americans had been blockaded
by armored vehicles since Mon.
day at Marienborn, western
end Of the l10-mile highway Il
Berlin.
Western officials said the
Russians dropped q demand fol
a headcount of the a United
States soldiers In the convoy
This was disputed in O Soviet
statement issued through Adm
the East German Communists
news agency.
THE American military per.
sonnet" the statement said
"conformed to the established
control regulations at the
Marienborn control and cross.
ing point and after the process.
sing based on them, the column
continued its march"
The British and French con.
yoys set out from Berlin ct the
opposite end of the Autobahr
from the nlockaded American:
and we're cleared through BY
the Russians without incident
After Mr.. Khrushchev re.
marked about the possibility o.
dead bodies" on the autobahn
Richard Clurman, chief Of cor.
respondents of Time-Life New
Service, asked him:
"Are you saying that II w
can't agree over the procedure
on the autobahn that yol
would give an order that woulC
result in shooting and possible
WARP"
Mr.. Khrushchev replied:
mo, we gave no such ordel
but there is an established
procedure. If this procedure Il
not followed, then they are no,
allowed to pass through.
The Explanation
1T is a matter Of q soldier
being q soldier. He has opera
tional instructions and If some