OVER FRONTIER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20025, 25 August 1939, Page 5

OVER FRONTIER

GERMANS ACCUSED WOUNDING OF POLES ARRESTS IN DANZIG FOERSTER IN COMMAND DECREE OF SENATE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed Aug. 25, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 24. Warsaw reports state that Germans crossed the frontier .and attacked the railway station in the Katowice district and fired over a hundred shots wounding three Poles. The first determined Nazi move to oust the Poles from Danzig is indicated by a Warsaw communique reporting that the Danzig secret police arrested a number of Polish railway officials in the past 24 hours and also began large-scale arrests of Polish citizens in Danzig.

The police, firstly superseded the Polish customs officers at Zoppot and Oliva, examining passports and baggage, and ignoring the fact that the railways are legally under the control of Poland. When the Polish officials protested the Nazis touched their revolvers and replied: "We act by right.”

The Polo-German negotiations in Danzig d'esigned to settle customs problems were broken off. A decree places the Danzig Gestapo (secret police) under the direction of the Senate President, whereby it beconv’S a separate organku..„A.

Foerster Appointed

A Danzig decree appoints the Nazi leader, Herr Foerster as head of the Danzig State.

Customs officers report that the Poles have closed the Polo-Danzig t order to stop food consignments going to Danzig. Berlin 'reports that the appointment of Herr Foerster as the State President of Danzig was effective as from yesterday. This is interpreted Ly the German Government spokesman as the “establishment, of an autharitiarian regime under Herr Hitler.' It is reported from Danzig that the British Consul left early this morning.

The speeding up of the defence measures by Poland led to serious delays to passenger trains engaged in the evacuation of civilians from the Polish frontier districts. This caused the German press to predict a Polish coup d’etat in Danzig.