The Gisborne Herald. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED “THE TIMES.” WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1939. POLAND’S TRAGIC PLIGHT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20047, 20 September 1939, Page 4

The Gisborne Herald. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED “THE TIMES.” WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1939. POLAND’S TRAGIC PLIGHT

Not for the first time in its long history, Poland is lacing dismemberment at the hands of Germany and Russia. Not even the indomitable courage of both its army and its civilian population has been sufficient to withstand not only an attack from both east and west but a war waged with the utmost intensity and by the most inhumane methods. In many respects history has repeated itself. Simultaneous invasion by Germany and Russia has occurred before although on this occasion, as in the past, both those countries have been pledged to protect Polish interests. Once again Poland is to be treated as legitimate spoils to be divided between its two most powerful neighbours. What the ultimate partition will be remains to be seen, but it is possible, at least, that there will be some controversy over the allocation of the reward, and it would be poetic justice, indeed, if it proved to be a case of “thieves fall out. - ’ Certain it is that Germany and Russia, having betrayed their trust and being distrusted by all others, will not trust one another. In the

meantime, the sympathy of the world will go out to stricken Poland and there will be fervent hopes that the country will finally have its independence and its rights restored to it.

Since the original loss of independence at the end of the eighteenth century Poland has several times been partitioned by the same forces as over-run it to-day. Three times in a quarter of a century ending in 1795 the Polish Commonwealth, as it was then called, was divided between Prussia, Russia, and Austria. In 1807, Napoleon formed a semi-independent State of part of the old Commonwealth, but in 1815 at the Congress of Vienna this was undone and Poland

was re-partitioned except for the small district of Cracow, which remained independent until 1835 when it was annexed by Austria despite a guarantee of neutrality by Russia and Prussia. During the Great War Poland was invaded by the Germans and Austrians and the whole of the country was occupied by the AustroGerman forces. In 1916, however, the German and Austrian Emperors proclaimed the independence of Poland, so that it is not correct to claim, as Hitler now does, that the creation of a Polish Slate was one of the “crimes” of Versailles. Poland actually was given independence under the aegis of Germany herself and the provisional council set up by Germany consisted solely of Poles. Again, on November 9, 1918, before the Armistice, the independence of Poland was solemnly proclaimed and this decision was merely confirmed at Versailles. Poland is not by any means an advanced country, but neither is it backward and since the war it has made remarkable progress in almost every direction. To some extent, no doubt, it has been the development of industries and production that has caused

Germany to cast envious eyes on the territory. Recently there has been much talk of minorities in Poland, but this aspect has been much exaggerated, because 70 per cent of the population are Poles. Of the remainder, 14 per cent are Ruthcninns, or Little Russians, 4 per cent are White Russians, 4 per cent Germans, and nearly 8 per cent Jews. In none of the four areas into which the country is divided do the Germans constitute one-quarter of the population, and in three of the districts the German population is little more than 1 percent of the total. It is significant that between 1921 and 1931 the population of the country increased by more than 4,000,000, and towards this increase the Poles contributed 3,500,000. The most important point that emerges is that in every part of the country the population Is preponderantly Polish. Under

the slender pretext of protecting minorities, the Poles themselves, constituting 76 per cent of the population, are, if Hitler and Stalin have their way, to become minorities under German and Soviet, domination. Were it not so tragic, this talk of “protection” wotdd be the essense of humour. To give “protection” to the 1.000,000 Germans in Polish territory Hitler proposes to secure the domination of another 2,000,000 Jews. Is it conceivable that any oppression which German Poles may have suffered will compare with the brutal treatment that has been meted out to Jews in Germany? The same consideration applies to Russia. Even if it be true that the Ukrainians and White Russians have been ill-treated in Poland, they still live to tell the tale, which is more than can be said of minorities which were unfortunate enough to come under Soviet rule. Since the interests of minorities are the excuse for the Russian and German invasion of Poland, it is surely pertinent to ask what will happen to the Jewish and White Russian minorities under those who seek to dominate them. Hitlers speech in Danzig yesterday throws little new light on Lhe situation, but it does serve to show the insincerity and inconsistency of the man who guides the destiny of Germany. It is not long ago that he offered Poland a treaty guaranteeing her independence and it is only months since ho assured the world that he had no designs on Polish territory. Now his troops have dealt death and suffering throughout the country. For years, Hitler has declaimed against the Soviet and all it represents but now he joins forces with them and, most, ludicrous of all, becomes a partner in crime with the •Jew who dictates the destinies of Russia.