OPEN TOWNS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20042, 14 September 1939, Page 5

OPEN TOWNS

BOMBING RAIDS NAZIS ACCUSED SLAUGHTER OF CIVILIANS BERLIN JUSTIFICATION REPRISAL FOR SNIPING CRUSHING RESISTANCE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Sept. 14, 11.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON. Sept. 13. Mr. A. J. Drexell-Biddle, (he American ambassador to Poland, to-day formally charged the German forces with bombing open cities and towns in Poland. The State Department, released a cablegram from Mr. Biddle dated Friday last in which the ambassador reported that the German air forces were taking advantage of every opportunity without regard to the danger to the civilian population. “It also is evident that German bombers are releasing bombs even when in doubt as to the identity of their objectives,” states the ambassador. He cited the following instances; “Attacks made on my villa and on my neighbours. “A heavy attack on modern apartment buildings it; the suburbs of Warsaw. “The destruction of a sanatorium involving the death of 10 children in woods ne'ar Otvvock, “The bombing of refugees on a train on the way from Kutno. “Damage done to a hospital train carrying wounded soldiers. The train was plainly marked with a red cross on the roof and was drawn up at the uncovered east station of Warsaw. “The destruction of a Girl Guide hut in which 12 girls were killed." Defenceless Village The ambassador sent the State Department a second telegram to-day 'from a Polish town where the American Embassy is now located. The department refused to reveal its name.

The telegram read: “This place, a defenceless open village, was bombed at 11 a.m. by a flight of four German planes which dropped at least 12 bombs," not only on the outskirts, but along the main street, 300 yards from this Embassy and within even closer proximity. Other missions, as well as the foreign office, verified that the casualties include 11 persons and 40 seriously injured. Many business properties were damaged. The population was terrorised by the suddenness and unexpectedness of the raid.”

A Berlin message says that the German High Command has announced unrestricted artillery and air attacks on Polish towns in retaliation for sniping. Bombed or Shelled The German High Command announced that open towns, villages and hamlets throughout Poland would henceforth be bombed or shelled in order to crush the resistance by civilians.

A communique from Herr Hitler’s headquarters on the Eastern Front declares that this is necessary because the Poles “deliberately converted these places into war zones.” The communique continues: “The Polish Government. and their incompetent, unscrupulous army commanders can be held responsible for ‘he consequences which the sorelytried civil population will suffer.” General Von Brauschitsch, Chief of the German General Staff, has created German regimental commanders in Poland as heads of courts-martial. He has. warned all Polish civilians in occupied territory to surrender their arms under penalty of death. Sabotage will be similarly punishable.