SOVIET VIEWS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20910, 15 September 1939, Page 9

SOVIET VIEWS

SIGNIFICANT ARTICLE PARTITION OF POLAND? ALLEGED OPPRESSION (United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 15, 11.35 a.m.) BERLIN, Sept. 14 It is reliably reported that an understanding has been reached whereby Germany, after completing the occupation of Eastern Poland, will withdraw. A 'Central Polish buffer State will then be created, after which Russia will occupy Eastern Poland. MOSCOW, Sept. 14 Significant allegations of Polish oppression of its Russian minority, also that Poland is no longer fit to govern herself, are contained in an article in the Pravda. *• The Polish ruling classes have done everything possible to aggravate the relations with national minorities and bring them to a state of extreme tension,” it says. Nnalysing the causes of Poland's military defeat, the article declares: Poland’s Bankruptcy “ It is not attributable to German preponderance or lack of British and French support, but to the fact that the Polish State machine is disorganised. It was so impotent and inefficient that it began to crumple with the first military setback. Poland is on the verge of bankruptcy because of the inner weakness of the nation, which is really a multinational State. Only 60 per cent of the population is Polish, the remainder including 8,000,000 Ukrainians and 3,000,000 White Russians. “ It is clear that without minority rights being granted it is impossible to preserve the multinational State and assure internal unity and vital ■power. " The Ukrainians and the White Russians have suffered the brunt of Polish oppression. The unscruplous exploitation of their lands have given the Polish military colonists. The Polish language has been forced on official circles, and domination has been maintained by punitive expeditions and field tribunals, while terror is fanning national discord, as a result of which the minorities are doomed to cultural degradation.” Disclaimer by Poland Some interpret the article as a declaration of Russian interest in the Ukrainian and White Russian minorities, but Polish circles discount such an interpretation and profess no fear of Russian intervention. They categorically deny the reports that the Polish Embassy la ready to leave Moscow. 2,000,000 CALLED UP # _ MOBILISATION IN RUBBIA GUARDING TIIE FRONTIERS CONCERN IN GERMANY (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 13 Official circles in Berlin are disconcerted by the extent of Russian mobilisation, says the Rotterdam carrespondent of the Times. Those who profess to believe in the sincerity or the RussoGerman friendship expect the mobilisation of 1,000,000 men to guard Lhe Russo-Polish frontier and possibly to occupy certain districts in East Poland, and the Wllhelmstrasse is at a loss to explain the calling up of 2,000,000 men on the whole frontier from Rumania to Finland. However, it is still hoped that Russia will be dragged in on Germany’s side AUTHENTIC NEWS THE MINIBTRY OF INFORMATION EXPRESSION, NOT REPRESSION (Official Wireless) (Received Sept. 15, 12.30 p.m. RUGBY, Sept. 14 Lord Macmillan, in charge of the Ministry of Information, speaking in the House of Lords, said he was in entire agreement with what had been said as to the true functions of the Ministry of Information. “It is a Ministry of expression, not a Ministry of repression, and, least of all, a Ministry of depression.” He appreciated fully both the need of news for the public and the reluctance of the defence services to talk of what they were doing, but in a democracy even the fighting services must become publicly minded. He had an assurance from t!ie Defence Mln- | 'sters of every co-operation. Comparing the Ministry with that In I “.erlin, Lord Macmillan said he suffered under a handicap, for most of the propaganda and most of the information from Germany were lies. “I would rather we gave less information and true information, rather than issue to neutral countries and foreign countries a vast mass of material which | is unreliable and untrue." In the long run (he press would appreciate that , the Ministry of Information consisted ! of authentic news and authentic statements only. FLYING DREADNOUGHTS 14 AMERICAN MAOHINEB ARRIVAL AT HONOLULU (United Press Assn.— Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 15, 11 a.m.) HONOLULU, Sept. 14 Fourteen United States Ilying Dreadnoughts arrived by air.