TROOPS CROSS FRONTIER

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20912, 18 September 1939, Page 7

TROOPS CROSS FRONTIER

“STATE NO LONGER EXISTENT” ALLEGED MAINTENANCE OF NEUTRALITY “POLAND’S COLLAPSE OBVIOUS,” SAYS SOVIET PREMIER (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 17 It is officially announced from Polish sources that fighting between Russian and Polish troops began this morning at Molodezcno, a junction on the Minsk-Vilna railway, about 20 miles inside the Russo-Polish irontier. Polish frontier guards resisted the invaders. The German Ministry of Propaganda in Berlin reported that Russian troops invaded Poland at 4 a.m. to-day, Moscow time. The Soviet had previously handed the Polish Ambassador a Note informing him that Soviet troops would cross the Polish frontier at 4 a.m. A later Berlin message stated: “The crossing by -Soviet troops was effective on the entire 500 miles of the frontier, From Polotsk in the north to Kamenets Podolsk in the south, in order to protect the Soviet’s own interests and those of the Russian and White Ukrainian minorities. The Soviet Government has insisted on maintaining its neutrality, in spite of the military action, but the Russo-Polish treaties have been cancelled because the Polish State could no longer be regarded as existent.” The Soviet Prime Minister, M. Molotoff, broadcasting to the nation, ordered the troops to Poland to protect our brothers.” “Poland’s collapse is obvious,” said M. Molotoff. “We are taking steps to liberate the nation from the war into which it was dragged by incapable rulers. We have notified all the diplomats of our neutra' tr. There is no need for our people to hoard food, no matter what the length of the military action. We have plenty. I appeal to the armies to keep up their discipline during their great task of emancipating the Ukrainians and White Russians.” The German news agency in Berlin issued a communique confirming the advance of the Russian Army into Poland, and added: “This Soviet measure does not affect in any way Russian neutrality in the present conflict. The Soviet Note, the text of which is not yet known, will be communicated to all foreign missions accredited to Moscow. The Soviet Government is endeavouring to re-establish in Eastern Poland order and peace, which are no longer guaranteed as the result of the defection of the former Polish State and the flight of the Polish Government.” The spokesman of the Propaganda Ministry in Berlin stated early this morning that the Russian action had Germany’s full approval.