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training course.
Approximately 165 OMGUS civilian em-
ployees are attending night sessions of a sec-
retarial practice course to earn possible
advancement. Forty German mechanics are
attending morning classes at the OMGUS
motor pool to prepare for more responsible
jobs.
US Library in Heidelberg
Hundreds of Germans, old and young,
crowded the American library in Heidelberg
when it opened its doors to provide reading
materials unavailable during the Nazi period,
reports OMG for Wuerttemberg-Baden.
More than 2,000 volumes and 80 different
magazines and newspapers, in English and
German, are now available for the use of
German civilians. Particular interest was
shown in the recent Swiss books published
in German which formed a special display
and also in books about the Uniteed States
and democracy.
This latest US information library joins
the American library in Stuttgart, established
last February, and the reading rooms at
Karlsruhe and Ulm, in giving Germans an
opportunity to discover and use informa-
tional materials available through no other
source.
Coupon System Strengthens
Currency Control in Berlin
A validating coupon system for retail sales
at all military-sponsored establishments is
being inaugurated this month in the US Sec-
tor of Berlin. The circular from US Head-
quarters, Berlin District, said the purpose
of the system is "to prevent Allied Military
marks that were procured from sources other
than legitimate from being converted into
dollar instruments and thereby causing a
drain on the financial resources of the United
States."
Coupon books of 5, 10 and 20-dollar de-
nominations are secured by each individual
from a designated officer in his unit, with
the proper deduction from his currency
control record book at the time of issuance.
No cash is involved in this initial proce-
dure. When the individual makes a purchase
at establishments such as PX's, messes, clubs,
snack bars, clothing sales store and post-
offices in the US Sector of Berlin, he pre-
sents his coupon bock along with the marks
for his actual purchase. A corresponding
number of coupons are taken from' the book
to validate the marks involved.
Exceptions are allowed only certain trans-
ient and Allied personnel. Purchases totaling
more this five dollars may be deducted di-
rectly from the currency control record book
without use of coupons.
Coastal Shipping Allocated
Thirty-one vessels, totaling l9,451 dead-
weight tons were allocated the US Zone
under a distribution of German coastal ships
made by the ACA Transport Directorate. The,
12 coastal ships and 19 other cargo vessels
and tankers will operate from the Bremen
Enclave.
A total of 427 ships, totaling 165,526 tons,
was allocated for use of the German
economy under Allied supervision. Based on
the prewar coastal shipping from the ports
in the various zones, the distribution gave
81 percent to the British Zone, 12 percent
to the US Zone and seven percent to the
Soviet Zone. The French Zone, having no
ports, received none.
The ships will continued to be owned and
operated by Germans and will be permitted
to travel between ports within Germany.
New Omgus Branch
A Policy Enforcement Branch has been
set up under the Civil Affairs Division,
OMGUS, to study and report on the current
and long-range policies of the US Military
Government and the German administration
within the US Zone. Col. M. Boyle is chief
of the new branch.
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