| Show Reds Blockade Berlin Rails In New Threat I II II I I BIn BERLIN ERLIN May 25 UP The The Russians in effect a arail arail a arail rail blockade on Berlin Wednesday Wednesday Wednes Wednes- I day by withdrawing workers from I the key switches on tracks into I Ithe the city from west Germany The train service which was restored when the Berlin blockade was lifted 13 days ago was knocked out again by the Soviet So action Only planes and trucks were moving moving mo ing supplies into the city American authorities charged that the rail was wa a CIa erate act on the part of the Ros- Ros stans Since West Vest Berlin rail workers' workers went on strike last Sat Sat- trains had operated on a reduced scale between the city and West Vest Germany A. A L. L McCluskey adviser iser to Brig Gen Frank Howley the U. U S. S commandant here said 29 freight trains from the west were I tied lied up by the Soviet So move A British military train from Bremen also was stalled at Potsdam Potsdam Potsdam Pots Pots- dam McCluskey said He reported report report- ed that buses which went to Potsdam Potsdam Potsdam Pots Pots- dam to bring the stranded passengers passengers passengers I gers to Berlin were turned back backby backby I Iby by Russian guards i iAn An American military train which would have left Wednesday night for the west was stalled in inthe inthe inthe the L Lichterfelde station tation in the U. U S S. S sector of Berlin f The Russian move apparently was in reprisal for the western I action Tuesday night in evicting eastern zone railway workers ers and I Soviet soldiers from strike-bound strike elevated railway stations in inVest West Vest I Berlin Earlier Wednesday nonCommunist nonCommunist nonCommunist non Com r strikers r blocked an attempt attempt attempt at at- tempt by Soviet So officers and East Berlin wor workers to take over railway railway railway rail rail- way yards ards in the U. U S S. S sector The futile Soviet So attempt came as west sector strikers won I Ithe the first round in their fight to be paid in west German marks which I Iare are worth four times as much as I eastern marks Erwin director director- director 1 general genera of the Sov Soviet controlled I r railway management announced over the Potsdam radio that he has asked the Russian zone economic I commission to grant the demand I IThe The commission is studying his I recommendation he said and he would I hoped Soviet authorities agree to it speedily Led to Yards I Russian officers and Soviet con trolled railway police led east German German German Ger Ger- man workers to the I and railway yards in the American sector with the anSee anSee anSee an- an See Page 2 Column 4 I II I BERLIN BLOCK Continued from Page One Intention of restoring normal traffic Pickets stopped them at the gates A Russian officer officer of of- told the eastern workers to smash through the fence girdling the yard but the workers refused and returned to the Soviet sector Within ah an hour the Russian soldiers soldiers soldiers sol sol- sol sol- diers followed them leaving the yards completely in the strikers' strikers hands Permitted PermUted to Enter Pickets permitted Soviet officers and some 50 workers to enter the railway sheds but then closed in around them and refused refused refused re re- re- re fused to let them start repair work Large sections of tracks had been ripped up at both stations and no trains were running acted on the fifth day of the railway strike which has taken three lives and brought injuries to more than 1500 persons said he recommended recommended recommended mended that the economics commission commission com corn mission authorize collection o of railway fares in the western sectors sectors sec see tors of Berlin in western marks and that the western railway workers work work- ers be paid in western-backed western cur cur- rency S |
