STAND BY POLES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20009, 7 August 1939, Page 5

STAND BY POLES

DANZIG TENSION WARNINGS REPEATED CHECK TO AGGRESSION GENERAL’S GRAVE VIEW ‘EVE OF NEW WORLD WAR’ (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Aug. 7, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 6. “We did not begin the Danzig affair. We will not avoid our obligations, but will adjust our actions in Danztg to those of the opposing side,” declared Marshal Smigly-Rydz, the Polish army commander, in addressing 100,000 people at Cracow to-day, on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the march to the front of the first Polish Legion. He added: “We have no aggressive intentions, but we shall resist all. without exception, who attempt, directly or indirectly, to infringe the rights and dignity of our State. Poland intends to repel violence with all her forces to-day. Conditions of Peace “When the words, war or peace, are on everyone’s lips, we declare that we love peace as much as anyone but we cannot have peace which means take for one people and give for another. Danzig is the lung of our economic organisation and has been united to Poland fox centuries. We have made our viewpoint very clear."

He concluded: “It is my duty to say, with deep emotion, that we have friends among the nations who understand the essential meaning of things and have formulated their attitude to

Cheers and cries of: “We will never yield Danzig,” punctuated the speech.

General Sosnkovski, second in command of the Polish Army, declared that Marshal Pilsudski's legionnaires were particularly favoured by history because it seemed they would participate in the second international war in which Poland would be one

of the most important and most exposed actors in the drama. “It seems that after 20 years, the main act of the stabilisation of Polish independence is beginning,” he added.*

General Sosnkovski issued a statement in Warsaw stating: “Mankind is on the eve of a new world war in which Poland will be one of the most exposed participants. Twenty years after obtaining her independence, Poland is facing the task of safeguarding and cementing her independence again. If necessary we must take up the sword in order to work undisturbed at least for 50 years.”

Reynolds News says that the massing of Nazi troops on the Polish border has reached such ominous proportions that the Polish War Minister, General Kasprszeki has ordered an additional 200,000 ben to mobilise. It is estimated that there are between 700,000 and 800,000 Germans on the Polish frontier, but by August 20 Poland will have 1,200,000 men under arms. Grave Crisis Averted Warsaw reports slate that a grave crisis was averted as a result of Danzig’s assurance that the Polish customs officials would not be prevented from carrying out their duties. The Danzig Senate sent letters to 83 of 110 officials ordering them to give up their jobs and leave Danzig before to-day, Sunday. Poland thereupon issued a stern ultimatum complaining of flagrant violation of the PoloDanzig agreement and give the Senate until last evening to cancel the orders.

This is the first actual ultimatum from Poland since the Danzig question became acute. A Senate official advised Warsaw by telephone of the cancellation of the orders a few hours before the expiry of the time limit.

The situation to-day was still grave and Poland sent a further note fo Danzig hoping that the Nazis would, study the position with a' view to reaching a positive understanding. A detailed reply is expected from the Senate on Monday. ;

The Polish spokesman announced that Danzig’s move to destroy Poland’s customs rights was most serious. It Danzig attempted a customs union with Germany, it would be regarded as a cause for war.

Newspapers in Warsaw to-day announced that Poland was prepared to negotiate in the Danzig customs dispute.