HOW THEY GET ALONG

Much has been written about Big Three objectives and conflicts; little about how Americans, Russians and Britons get along where they are actually working together. From Berlin, their most important point of working contact, TIME Correspondent Charles Christian Wertenbaker last week cabled:

The Russians in Berlin are soldiers and they behave as soldiers. The best informed American authorities here have told me, in separate interviews, that they have seen no evidence that the Russians are trying to convert the people to Communism or anything else. On the contrary, these authorities say that they have increasing evidence of a Russian desire to administer Berlin and Germany in accordance with agreements reached by all the Allies.

Friction between the Anglo-Americans and the Russians in the early days of joint occupation was caused by: 1) suspicion growing out of different languages, customs and behavior, and 2) the Russians' desire to make a good showing of their ten weeks of occupation. The Russians are proud of their Army's victories, not so proud of its appearance and peacetime behavior. They wanted to get the rougher elements out and the disciplined troops in before the British and Americans came. And they wanted the British and Americans to see how well they were cleaning up and running the city. This caused some officers to fail to carry out their orders to turn over authority to the British and Americans.

Go Slow. The Americans have learned not to be too hasty. We closed the Berlin theaters and nightclubs the Russians had opened in our sector. The Germans protested and we could think of no good reason for the move, so we opened them again. In general we have continued Russian policies unless there was a good reason to change them.

Relations among the Allies are on three levels. Between the Americans and the Russians they are excellent on the top level, poor on the middle level, good on the bottom level. Between the British and Russians they are not quite as good on any level. Reason: the British are more set in their ways. Top-level Americans and Russians have made a deliberate effort to know each other as men, which the British are more slow to do. For instance, when Brigadier W. R. N. Hinde, British Military Governor, wants to see the Russian Military Governor, General Nikolai Baranov, he sends an officer to make the appointment a day in advance, then appears with several officers in his retinue. When his U.S. opposite number, Colonel Frank Howley, a lean, hard-working advertising man from Philadelphia, wants to see Baranov, he just walks in.

Relations between Russia's Colonel General Alexander V. Gorbatov and U.S. Major General Floyd L. Parks are, in General Parks's words, "more than cordial--we've become real friends." Gorbatov was inclined to be a little stiff at first. Parks, a Southerner, soon charmed him. Gorbatov took the first drink of his life at the first meeting of the Kommandantur. Parks explained that he, too, was a nondrinker, that his doctor allowed him only a little white wine. A few hours later a Russian soldier appeared at Parks's house with a case of Rhine wine on his back. The next day it was a case of champagne, from Gorbatov's superior, General of the Army Vassily D. Sokolovsky.

Most of the complaints about the Russians have come from American and British officers below the grade of colonel, and from correspondents. Younger American and British officers complain that the Russians do not keep their promises, and that they are surly. Some are surly, as are some British and American officers, but most of the disagreements have been caused by language difficulties and mutual suspicion. The Americans and British have waited for hours, and sometimes days, for the delivery of something promised. When it was important, Colonel Howley has promptly protested to General Baranov, and delivery has been made.

Keep Off the Mines. On the G.I. level, relations are casual and generally friendly. Some G.I.s and Russian soldiers eye each other like puppies, but if one grins the other almost always grins back. There have been a few altercations in wine, but nobody has yet been shot--and there are thousands of soldiers on the streets, all armed. The Russian soldiers in Berlin mind their own business, but try to be helpful.

This week three of us went to see the bunker where Hitler is supposed to have died. When we started back, a Russian soldier shouted and waved us in another direction. We asked him why. "You are welcome to go anywhere you like," said he, "but a German blew himself up on a mine in this yard yesterday, and my comradely advice is to stay on the paths."

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