MARTYRED POLAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 June 1942, Page 4

MARTYRED POLAND

SURVEY AFTER TWO YEARS THE RECORD OF GERMAN ATROCITIES. ATTEMPT TO DESTROY NATION. (By Robert Powell, in the “Christian Science Monitor.”) Two years of German rule in Western Poland have resulted in barbarities which have shocked the conscience of the world. There has been so much documented evidence on the savage, determined campaign to stamp out the Polish nation and to Germanise its lands and economic life that none can be indifferent or apathetic. German atrocities in Poland cannot be taken as isolated examples of brutality and sadism on the part, of individual' leaders. These actions are part of a definite plan to terrorise the population, so as to make German aims easier of realisation. They spring fundamentally from the German’s belief in the superiority of his race, especially ovex - the Poles and other Slav peoples. Herr Greiser, Gauleiter of the “Wartheland” (the German province created from the western districts of Poland), in his speech on German “achievements” in this part during the past two years, gives tangible evidence of the thoroughness of the Gerpian occupation, and seizure of Polish property. A few figures from his speech speak more loudly than a host of words.

THEFT OF HOMES & LAND. In the past two years, 120,450 Polish houses have been taken over from their Polish owners. Out of the total area of 3,900,000 hectares of cultivated land, 3,116,000 hectares, spread over 337.192 farms, have been taken froni their Polish owners and 50,000 German families installed in their places. More than 900 industrial enterprises have been completely transferred to German ownership, and a further 2850 administered by German “Treuhander,” which leaves the original owner very little share in the running of his own concern. A small percentage of the smaller handicrafts' establishments have been left for the time being in Polish hands, but are marked down for transference to German front-line soldiers at the close of hostilities. Germany’s aim is ultimately to reduce Polish industrialism to a minimum. For the moment its war needs have somewhat modified the programme of closing down of Polish factories, but already there 'is evidence that a large proportion of firms engaged in nonessential work have been eliminated from the market. Of the 15,000 firms operating in the Wartheland before the war, only 8000 are still functioning, and these have had to adapt themselves to the needs of the German war economy, and to transfer for the most part to German ownership.

The “master race” does not concern itself with the education of the “subject” races. In fact, the fewer advantages'. the latter enjoy, the more easily will they adapt themselves to their role of servant to the masters of New Europe. Herr Greiser, in his survey, states that 1700 schools are now open in the “Wartheland,” in which 2500 teachers are giving instruction io 110,000 German pupils. No mention is made of the education provided for Polish children in. the area-

RESISTANCE TO TERRORISM. There could be no better example of the cynicism of the German rulers than Herr Greisers’ reference to the'“great criminality” among the Poles, which caused nineteen German police officers to lose their lives. To combat this “criminality,” some 40,000 sentences were passed on the Polish population, 2000 of them by special tribunal. It is evident that there is widespread and persistent resistance to the German will, despite threats and dire punishment. The German rulers make no secret of the fact that their nationality policy is based upon the strictest separation of the races, even in the religious sphere. “A Gorman,” says Herr Greiser, “who goes to a Polish church automatically excludes himself from the German, community.” The statement that there is to be complete separation between Church and State in German Poland is but a practical illustration of the National Socialist attitude to religious organisations in the Third Reich. The German fight against the Polish nation, which has gone on since the end of the eighteenth century, sometimes with weapons other than those of war, has now entered upon its bitterest phase. No Pole can forget the suffering and degradation his people have been called upon to face. In common with (he Czechs, Norwegians, Danes, Dutch, Belgians and other enslaved peoples, he will reject the proposed “New Order” promised by the German conquerors after the war, and will fight with every means in his power to throw off the hated yoke, and to help build a world fit for free men to live in.