UPPER SILESIA.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17155, 26 May 1921, Page 7

UPPER SILESIA.

A GERMAN OFFENSIVE. • LASGEFOBCES MOVING. (By Cable—Pww Ainooiatira—Copyright) (Beuter's Telegrams.) (Received May 25th, 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, May 24. The fighting in Upper Silesia is apparently organised on a large scale, according to a correspondent in Sosnowiecz, who, quoting French sources, says the German offensive is developing in three directions.

The attack near the Oder river ,had as itß objective Grosstein, which vas occupied after a fierce struggle. A column, 20,000 strong, with armoured trains, is operating along the Kreuz-berg-Kosenberg railway, aiming at the industrial region of the Polish frontier, while a third force from Ratibor has Gleiwitz as its objective. The insurgents everywhere are resisting desperately.

Franc*, diplomatic; circles are excited over the foregoing occurrences. It is understood from Reuter's Paris correspondent that the German Ambassador* in Pans and London have been requested to warn the Gorman Government immediately to cease aggressive movements if Allied reprisals are not desired.

(Received May 25th, 10.10 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, Mav 24. The conference of the International Federation of Trades Unions is dispatching a. commission to Silesia to study the economic side of the situation German and Polish trade unions are urging their nationals to cease murdering and plundering one another, (Received May 25Uh, 10.10 p.m.) _ , „ LONDON, May 24. In the House of Commons, Mr Austen Chamberlain said the Government contemplated adding to its forces in Upper m? la w " en trains were available. ' The _ Paris correspondent of the /Morning Post" says the newspapers insist that the outstanding* feature of the day's news is that Germany has resumed the war, and they caJl on Mr Lloyd Gfwge to undo the mischief of his two incendiary speeches + w Wi o rt ™Jv tUc £ is caused bv th ® that. 30,000 Germans have entered Silesia, with, whom 14,000 Allied troops cannot cope. This is held to justify oil the * rench arguments in favour of the complete disarmament of Germany. The papers sny that four British battalions are a useless reinforcement. The Allied army in Silesia should be four times its present strength. France wants to know if she will be again called to enforce tho Pence Treaty and incur all the «5? A» d expenditure, while the rest ot the Allies look on and criticise.

THE PROBLEM SETTLED. STATEMENT BY PRENCH PREMIER. (Received May 25th, 11.25 p.m.) LONDON, May 24. Mr Martin Donohoe, the "Daily Chronicle's" special correspondent in Paris, points, out that M. 'Briand, at a conference of the most friendly character with the German Minister since the Armistice, received the Berlin Government's, assurance. This was most opportune, as immediately afterwards a National Bloc deputation presented a demand for the immediate occupation of the Ruhr owing to German's entry into Upper Silesia, and M. Briand was able to reply that the Upper Silesian problem had been satisfactorily settled. Hexr Mayer, German Minister in Paris, handed Germany's reply to M. Briand's Note. It declares that the. .Government is taking immediate measures to close *the Upper, Silesian frontier and to disarm and disband the German volunteers.

(Received May 25th, 11.25 p.m.) PARIS, May 25. • , The energetio action of the Allied Cpmmission secured the cessation of hostilities between the Poles and the Germans.

It is alleged that, when the Poles reoocupied Grosstein they found that their wounded, whom they had been forced to leave behind when the Germans advanced, had all been killed.

POLAND'S CLAIMS.

STATEMENT BY M. &RIAND. (Received May 26th, 10.50 p.m.) PARIS, May 24. ; The Chamber of Deputies was paoked to hear the statement by M. Briand, who emphasised that France wanted the Joyal execution of the Treaty of Versailles. He dwelt on Poland's historic rights in Upper Silesia, which were unanimously endorsed by the In-ter-Allied Commission. He attributed the German success at the polls partly to the.fact that the Germans had brought back 180,000 voters for the purpose of the plebiscite. In a pointed reference to Mr Lloyd George. M. Briand referred to the inconveniences attending "discussions which were held in' market-places and made the object of newspaper polemics." Nevertheless, such methods were not without advantages. , ,He admitted that soldiers not always had the qualifications on which to base a just appreciation of the Treaty of Versailles, nut a decision would be reached in accordance with the «j£erts' report, under whioh justice must prevail. • ■ ■■■ ■■'. . ,_ M. Briand expressed confidence m the sine'erity of Herr Wirth, the German Chancellor. M. Briand said he intended to. follow the policy of maintenance of the Entente. If the Chamber disagreed, they must choose his successor. GERMANY'S NEW POLICY.

TO WIN THE WORLD'S . CONFIDENOE.

(Received May 25th, 11.25 p.m.) LONDON, May 24.

The Berlin correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" reports that President Ebert, in response to French demands, has issued an order,' applicable to the whole of unoccupied Germany, making it an offence punishable by fine up to 100,000 marks to form or participate in unauthorised military bodies. The correspondent says enquiries in many quarters have convinced him that Herr Wirth is inspired by a sincere desire to win the world's confidence and avoid the troubled and complications, hindering Germany from settling down lo work in order to pay her debts. "Whether the new spirit will continue depends upon the_ Allies. If her new policy of Honesty is systematically misrepresented as .diabolical duplicity, the Government may fall back, as its predecessors did, into the bluffs, concealmenta? and evasions which have caused mischief during the last two years.