POLISH DEMANDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 September 1938, Page 8

POLISH DEMANDS

PRESENTATION OF NOTE TO CZECHS THREATENING MILITARY PREPARATIONS. AGREEMENT DENOUNCED. . (Received This Day, 12.55 p.m.) WARSAW, September 21. Polish demands against Czechs have tpeedily reached a climax with the announcement that the Polish Minister at Prague has handed Dr. Krofta a Note referring <o the Czech Government’s declaration that the Polish population would not be discriminated against as compared with other nationals and adding that Poland “expects the Czechs to settle the question of territories inhabited by Poles similarly to the settlement of the Sudeten question. Accordingly the Polish-Czech Agreement of 1925 concerning the Polish minority is void, and is hereby denounced.” Simultaneously it was officially announced that, owing to troop movements, railways in Southern Poland have been closed for civilian traffic. The decision to retain resen/sts after manoeuvres will bring the Army strength to 600,000. FRONTIER CLASHES. WEALTHY CZECHS LEAVING TESCHEN. (Received This Day. 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 21. The Exchange Telegraph Company’s Warsaw correspondent states that dashes between Poles and Czechs are reported from Teschen, which wealthy Czech merchants are leaving. A crowd demonstrated in front of the Czech Legation, shouting: “Down with traitors!” and smashed windows. DANGER OF CONFLICT BIG DEMONSTRATIONS CALLED. SOLIDARITY WITH HUNGARY. (Received This Day, 12.55 p.m.) LONDON, September 21. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Warsaw correspondent says the possibility of a Polish-Czech conflict is seriously envisaged. Martial organisations are organising throughout Poland and the National Unity Camp, which has been .officially organised, has issued a manifesto calling for a huge assembly on September 22 in order to declare that the Polish nation stands firm in defence of its brothers’ rights and the abolition of artificial frontiers. Tonight’s demonstrations also emphasised solidarity with Hungary. A crowd organised by Youth organisations marched to the Hungarian Legation shouting: “We want a common frontier with Hungary.” They attempted to approach the Czech Legation, but the police in armoured cars prevented them from doing so. Meanwhile Polish refugees from Czechoslovakia have sent a message to the ex-Service Men’s Association urging the organisation of a legion to liberate the Poles in Czechoslovakia. Peasants in the neighbourhood of the Czech frontier passed a resolution demanding the use of force if the Czechs do not return Teschen. War veterans in Warsaw passed a similar resolution, while Youth organisations affirmed their readiness to place themselves at the disposal of lhe Army. ANGRY CZECHS DEMONSTRATIONS IN PRAGUE BRITISH AND FRENCH BOOED AND HISSED (Received This Day. 1.40 p.m.) LONDON. September 22. The “Daily Mail’s” Prague correspondent says crowds shouting “Long live the army!”; “Long live Russia!” “Long live Benes!” are demonstrating throughout Prague. So- far order has been maintained. The British United Press Prague correspondent says a crowd booed and hissed outside hotels largely patronised by British and French visitors. Strong forces of police kept the demonstrators from Stepanski Street, in which the Hotel Alcron, the headquarters of the Runciman Mission is situated. Five times the crowds tried to penetrate the street, shouting: “We will show the English what we think!”