May Occupy East Poland

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20043, 15 September 1939, Page 8

May Occupy East Poland

SPLEEN AIRED IN MOSCOW PRESS Persecution Of Minorities Alleged NOT FIT TO RULE MULTI-NATIONAL STATE j Embassy Circles Deny Fear Of Intervention (Elec. Tel. Copyright.—United Press Assn.) ' (Reecl. Sept. Jo. 2 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 14. An Independent Cable Service message Irom Berlin says : it is reliably reported in the Oernian capital that an understanding lias been reached whereby (lermany, alter completing the occupation of eastern Poland will withdraw. A central Polish buffer .State would then be created, alter which Russia would occupy eastern Poland.

A Moscow message states that significant allegations of Polish oppression of its Russian minority and also that Poland is no longer fit to govern herself are contained in an article in Pravda, which states: “The Polish ruling classes have done everything possible to aggravate the relations with the national minorities and bring them to a state of extreme tension.”

Analysing the causes of Poland’s military defeat, the article declares it is not attributable to German preponderance or lack of British and French support, but to the fact that the Polish State machine is disorganised and that it was so impotent and inefficient that it began .to crumple with the first military setback. “Poland is on the verge ot bankruptcy, because 1 of the inner weakness of the nation, which is really a multi-national State,” concludes the article.. ‘ Only 60 per cent of the population is Polish, the remainder including 8.000,000 Ukrainians and 3,000,000 White Russians.

“It is clear that without minority rights being- granted, it is impossible to preserve a multi-national State and assure internal unity and vital power. The Ukrainians and White Russians suffered .the full brunt of Polish oppression and unscrupulous exploitation. Their lands were given to 1 olish military colonists. The Polish language was forced on official circles and domination was maintained by punitive expedition o and field tribunals, while terror is fanning national discord, ns a result of which the minorities are doomed to cultural degradation.”

Some interpret the article as a declaration . of . Russian interest in the Ukrainian and White Russian minorities, but Polish circles discount such an interpretation and profess that there is no fear of Russian intervention. Polish circles in Moscow categorically deny reports that the Polisli Embassy is ready to leave Moscow.