STRONG PROTEST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 April 1943, Page 4

STRONG PROTEST

MADE BY SOVIET PAPER AGAINST POLISH REQUEST ~ FOR INVESTIGATION. ' OF GERMAN PROPAGANDA ’ . ALLEGATIONS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) " LONDON, April 19. “ The “Pravda,” in a letter broadcast by the Moscow radio, severely criticises ~ the Statement of Lieutenant-General Kukiel, Minister of National Defence in “ the Polish Government in London, requesting a Red Cross investigation of German charges that the Russians mass ” murdered Polish officers. Under the •- heading of “Polish Collaborators of Hitler,” the “Pravda” says the Polish leaders have fallen into the trap of ■ Goebbels's provocateurs, and thus, in effect, have supported the lying tricks and libellous inventions of the executioners of the Polish people. It is ” known throughout the world that it is • nobody but the Germans who have tor- ' tured to death hundreds of thousands - of workers, peasants and intelligentsia, particularly officers, in Poland, Czecho- ’ Slovakia, France and Belgium. In the - light of these facts, the Polish Minister’s appeal to the International Red * Cross can only be considered as a dir- » ect and obvious help to Hitler’s provocateurs in building up their mean lies. MORE NAZI CLAIMS AN UNCONVINCING STORY. STOCKHOLM, April 19. Germany welcomes the Polish Government’s appeal to the Red Cross for an investigation into the German allegations that the Russians near Smolensk murdered 10,000 Polish officers, ; according to reports from Berlin. The Germans now claim to have captured four members of the Russian secret police who commanded the execution, and apparently “confessions” will soon be forthcoming. ’ The Berlin correspondent of the - Stockholm “Tidningen” declares that the Germans in the autumn of 1942 were aware of the existence of the " Poles’ communal grave, but; started dig■■'ging only a couple of . weeks ago. The correspondent does not explain why *' £he Germans have not used the piece of propaganda for seven months.