POLISH PARTITION

Evening Star, Issue 23380, 25 September 1939, Page 5

POLISH PARTITION

816 CONCESSIONS TO SOVIET FAR IN EXCESS OF EXPECTATIONS WHAT PRICE DID GERMANY ASK ? LONDON, September 23. A message from New York states that the Moscow correspondent of the ' New York Times,' referring to the Russian-German line through Poland, says the final demarcation grants Russia territory far in excess of expectations. The public believed that the Red Army was engaged solely in the liberation of the minorities and are now wondering what is behind the unexpected cession of territory by Germany. , The idea of co-operation with the Nazis is as foreign as ever. Russian rejoicing at tho idea of foreign conquests, even at the expense of Poland, is inconceivable, and satisfaction at the occupation is based on the feeling that a kindred population has been released from foreign domination. Foreigners believe that Germany did not contemplate such extensive concessions. The confident references to British-French inability to defeat Russia and Germany suggest that Hitler was obliged to offer the Soviet fresh inducements in the shape of increased Polish territory. It is an j anxious question for Britain and France what price Germany might ! have enforced from the Soviet for such astounding territorial concessions, although the conviction that the salesman will not get delivery is unchanged. The Berlin • correspondent of the ' New York Times ' states that, despite the official statement that Russia and Germany agreed to the j military demarcation of Poland before the Russians marched on September 18, the Germans had then passed beyond the line. They later continued to consolidate the front which they had established at an average of 100' miles east of the line stated today as " the definite military demarcation " agreed on last week. It is officially stated in Berlin that Germany is not pressing the siege of Warsaw because it is no longer important for military . purposes. " Germany does not desire to waste a single precious_ drop _ of blood in unnecessary fighting," it is stated. Yet in the light of to-day's communique revealing the demarcation and German retreat along the entire front, it is> obvious that much precious blood has been wasted in the territory handed over to Russia. It is admitted that both sides passed beyond the ethnographical borders of the respective minorities. Indeed the minority frontiers do not appear to have been considered. It is emphasised that thf>/mihtnry demarcation is purely n preliminary solution and does not affect the final borders. LINE OF RUSSIAN ADVANCE DIFFICULTIES WITH NAZIS LIKELY NEW YORK, September 23. The* Moscow correspondent of the 1 New York Times ' says that because foreign radio reports indicated some days ago that the Soviet forces met German troops at Brest-Litovsk, which is far west of Pinsk, foreign military attaches in Moscow are much surprised at the news that the Russians only yesterday reached Pinsk. This strengthens the general feeling that difficulties have arisen between the German and Soviet forces concerning the line to which the Soviet forces should advance. The reported departure of the German military mission is imminent, so that presumably the differences have been adjusted. It is found difficult to believe that tho Germans willingly consented to the Russians occupying Lemberg, as this point controls all tho roads and the railway to Rumania. The important Galician oil wells lie east of Lemberg, and if the Russians are able to insist on occupying Poland to an ethnographical frontier these should also fall to them. RUSSIAN MOBILISATION FORCES REMAINING WITH COLOURS " EXTERNAL CONDITIONS " THE REASON MOSCOW September 23. The radio announced that all forces mobilised since September 7 will remain with the colours until further notice owing/'to external conditions. BULGARIA AND RUSSIA TRADE PACT CONCLUDED LONDON, September 24. The Sofia correspondent of the American Associated Press states that Bulgaria is concluding a pact with Russia, by which the latter country will take virtually all the. former's exports. Twothirds of . Bulgaria's exports have hitherto gone to Germany. A Rome radio station announces that a Russo-Estonian commercial pact has been signed! in Moscow. POLISH CAMPAIGN "ENDED" THIRD NAZI DECLARATION " UNFAIR " GUERRILLA TACTICS RESENTED NEW YORK, September 23. A message from Berlin states that the German High Command announced that the campaign in Poland has ended. There are continued German casualties in the Polish clean-up campaign, states the Berlin correspondent of the New York ' Times.' The German Press bitterly complains of " unfairness of the Poles' guerrilla tactics." Small detachments are ambushing the German rearguard, cutting off .patrols from their companies. The Polish countryside, although conquered, is not quiet but alive throughout the night, with small and bitter skirmishes.