THE POLISH DISASTER.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 August 1919, Page 1

THE POLISH DISASTER.

(By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) [AUSTRALIAN & 11. Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION j

GRAVE CHARGES

OP GERMAN TREATMENT

London, Aug 25

The “Morning Post’s” Cracow correspondent ieports that several bands of the Polish insurgents are still holding out in Upper Silesia, but there have been wholesale executions among the others, and these, coupled with the use by the Germans of artillery, have broken tlie backbone of the revolt. Most of the insurgents have preferred death to surrender. The Germans, thus foiled, have arrested the old men, the women and the boys. They have .collected them and have male them march for hours } bolding their hands above their heads. Batches of the prisoners aye being continually beaten with the butts of ;he soldiers’ rifles, aud also with wire cabling and belting. The floors of tlie prisoners’ cells are now so covered with blood from tlieir wounds that their boots stick to the floors while walking.

A priest, after confessing a 15-year ild boy, was compelled to bold bis hands while the boy was shot. The Germans found one peasant

with a slight bullet wound in bis arm. This was regarded as evidence that lie bad been lighting. He was therefore cruelly slain. The Germans tied a hand grenade to his throat and then removed the firing pin. Other numerous instances of bar-

barons cruelty are recorded. Old men have been beaten brutally. Otlieis have been tied to horses. The Germans shot 150 prisoners at Kattowitz.

One favourite German plan has been lo string the victims (up by the hands before execution.

The Germans have stood oil the river banks pot-shooting at the fleeing refugees as they were wading breasthigh in the stream. The refugees have appealed for

Allied assistance. They explain that flie miners struck simply because the German mine owners made their conditions intolerable. Ono widow fell at the “ Post ” correspondent's knees aud told bow the Germans bad shot her husband,

despite tbe fact of his having crossed the frontier and being on Polish territory' when killed. Young men pleaded to the correspondent. that the Allies should give ilie Doles arms to defend themselves.

The correspondent says lie lias listened to the stories of a group of 4-Oj refugees, most of them men. There was hardly a dry eye in the gronp.

The correspondent is convinced that no assemblage of people could be stirred to such unrestrained emotion if they bad not lived through a terrible ordeal. The correspondent's conclusions are .is follows: “Since a state of siege was declared in Upper Silesia by them in January, the Germans have adopted a deliberate policy of provocation and oppression towards the Polish workers, with the object of inciting an outbreak and thus discrediting, the Poles as a people, and also giving ail excuse for further repressive measures, and further to tempt Poland to undertake unauthorised intervention in Silesia.”

The correspondent is also convinced that all the most influential Poles have either been arrested or forced to lice, in order to assist the German policy. The Allies have failed to give immediate effect to the Treaty Clause relating to Upper Silesia. This has helped the German plans.

POLISH OPINION. LONDON, Aug. 25. Polish circles in London are of the opinion that the Germans have imprisoiled or deported practically the whole of the educated Poles ill Upper Silesia, in order Lo rob the working classes of their guidance and inllueiice (luring tile plebiscite as to self-determination in Upper Silesia. The Germans believed the workers could then be easily persuaded to vote as Germanv dictated.

Wlieii the workers remained loyal to Poland the Germans then dealt with them similarly to the educated classes.

Many Roles who were unable lo Her bid in the disused workings of the mines, where they were fed by their families until they were caught.

AN ENQUIRY URGED. LONDON, Aug. 25

The “.Morning Post’s” correspondent urges that an enquiry be held, similar lo that in Relgiimi regarding the German excesses in Silesia. The correspondent, is of the opinion that until the mines there are removed from German control, the output "'ill lie negligible. Tile workers will return to work immediately the Allies occupy Upper Silesia.

ALLIES MAY ACT. LONDON, Aug. -A. Tin- “Daily Telegraph’s” Paris correspondent stales: The Allied Conleri'iht fears that an Allied 51 issuin’s moral inllueiice in Gpper Silesia would prove insufficient. There lore the immediate occupation of Silesia hv Allied troops is to he expected. There has been an uuollieial, but elear Germaii invitation to the Allies to take this course.

“At ITT EL EUItOPA.” IVER IVIN, Aug. 20. Eriedrich Naumann, the author of Alii tel Europe” is dead.