Soviet-Berlin Views Differ

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20047, 20 September 1939, Page 6

Soviet-Berlin Views Differ

FORCING NAZIS TO LEAVE STATE Relieved From Occupying Whole Area ESTIMATES OF HEAVY CASUALTIES Thousands Of Men Disarmed In Rumania (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reccl. Sept. 20, 2 p.m.) LONDON, Sept 19. The correspondent of the -British United Press on the Polish front says that Soviet columns passed through. Vilna (Wilno) and entered Swienciancy and Nowogrodek in the Vilna Province, WoloVvy'cfc 45 miles east of Bialystok, and Slonim, south of Nowogrodek, and are occupying important railway junctions.

The Riga correspondent of the Associated Press of Croat Britain stales that Russian troops entering Vilna said that tho inhabitants were plundering the army storehouses. Some of the suburbs were aflame.

It is semi-official]y stated in Moscow that the Soviet invasion of Poland was the only means of forcing Germany to agree to the establishment, of even a demnant of an independent Polish State. An English-speaking radio announcer in Berlin to-day stated, however: “The Soviet saved Germany the trouble of occupying the whole of Poland.” It is officially stated in Berlin that 50.000 prisoners and “immense booty” were captured after the crushing the Polish Army in one of the biggest, battles on the Eastern Front on the Hzura River. Two thousand to 3000 Polish troops are still holding out near the Gdynia heights overlooking .the city.

The German High Command admits the continuance of lighting to • the west, of Warsaw and north-east of Lwow. The Berlin correspondent of the -Associated Press of Great; Britain states that a German High Command communique claims the total of 300.000 Polish military captives, including numerous generals and 2000 officers. The communique adds that the losses on both sides are heavy. The Polish dead and wounded arc estimated at 20,000. The. French military authorities estimate the German casualties in Poland at Horn 20 000 to 25.000 dea;l and 90.000 wounded aild the Polish casualties as 20,000 dead and 80,000 wounded, including civilians.

A Bucharest message states that 10,000 Polish officers and men haVe so far reached Rumania, where they were disarmed and interned.

Tire Cracow correspondent of the Associated Press .of Great Britain states that pro-German Polish troops are being •dispatched to tile Western Front. Three lorry loads of men clad in Polish uniforms said that they had been unwillingly drafted into the Polish Army, whence the Germans had ‘captured and released them on their volunteering for the German Army.