REBIRTH OF POLAND

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24603, 27 June 1945, Page 7

REBIRTH OF POLAND

AGREEMENT ON NEW GOVERNMENT

SATISFACTION AMONG ALLIES (Special Correspondent NJSPA.) LONDON. June 25. Hie satisfaction which is expressed in London at the agreement among the Poles themselves to form a new Government of National Unity is also accompanied by something resembling a sigh of relief, for of all the shadows lying across British and Soviet friendship this threatened to be the most sinister. There are indications that the constitution of the new Polish Government conforms to the Yalta formula, which prescribed reorganisation of the existing Provisional Government “on a broader democratic basis, with the inclusion of democratic leaders from Poland itself and front Poles abroad.” The fact that the Allies will recognise the new Government as soon as it has given its pledge to bold free

elections means, of course, that the British and United States Governments will cease to recognise the present London Government beaded by Mr ArciszGwskl / This body condemns the new agreement, and its Minister of Information has asserted that three-quarters of the new Government would be Communist, without political influence, and that the settlement is one more step down the road leading to the complete liquidation of independence for Poland. On the other hand, Mr Mikolajczyk (former Polish Prime Minister in London), whose honesty and caution are highly regarded in London, is reported to be very satisfied with the agreement and has expressed absolute faith that everything will be carried out in a loyal manner. One outstanding problem is the future of the Polish armed forces in Britain. Their position and the question of their unification with the forces in Poland are to be discussed jointly by the Brltlsh-Ameriean and Russian-Pollsh representatives. Many Poles in Britain are reluctant to return home, although it is thought some may change their minds when the new Government is announced. There are also former prisoners, labourers, and the members of the parties supporting the London Government, end lack of confidence has re* suited in about 90 per cent, of the Poles abroad not wanting to return. The Allies are not making any attempt to force the Poles back against their will, and those who fought for Britain and who do/not want to return to Poland have been .offered British citizenship. Another question to be considered will be Polish finance and assets, and the funds now under the control of Mr Ardszewski’s Government. 'Hie opinion is expressed that the new Polish Government will need all the goodwill and resolution it can muster in face of the many difficulties. Meanwhile, with the long-standing obstacle of Poland removed, the statesmen attending the coming conference in Berlin can devote themselves, as ‘The Times” says, “to the many Issues of ever-widening import for Europe and the world which press ffir their attention and decisions

ALLIED COLUMNS FOR BERLIN

LONDON, June 25. "Next Sunday British, Canadian, and United States control commission columns will probably move from their posts on the west bank of the Elbe into Berlin,” says a correspondent at 21st Army Group headquarters. "From the N.A.A.F.I. headquarters at Salzuflen on Monday a reconnaissance party left to join other Army advance units going to the German capital, where they will establish service clubs.”

PELVING WORKING AT FLENSBURG

(Rec. 9 pm.) LONDON, June 25. Max Pelving, one of Denmark’s worst criminals, has been found working at Supreme Allied Headquarters. He was the most prominent Dane in the Gestapo. Many natriots were tortured and executed because of him. Pelving vanished after the German capitulation. The Danes thought he had escaped, until a partisan visited a section of Supreme Allied Headquarters at Flensburg, where he was astonished to see Pelving working as a departmental head. Pelving had tricked the British authorities with forged identity papers.

CONFERENCE ABOUT WAR CRIMES

(Rec. 10 p.m.) . LONDON, June 28Methods of dealing with major war criminals will be discussed by a FourPower conference which will begin its deliberations at Church House, Westminster, on Tuesday, says a correspondent Britain. America, Russia, and France will be represented—Britain by Sir David Maxwell Fyfe, the At-torney-General; America by Judge Jackson; Russia by Mr M. Nikitchenko, Deputy-President of the Supreme Court of the U.S.S.R.. who will be assisted by Professor N. Training: and France by M. M. Falco. Chancellor ot the French Court Judge Jackson is known to have brought with him a plan for trying war criminals before an international ' military tribunal, which has been considered with interest by British authorities.

RUSSIAN NATIONALS FREED BY ALLIES

LONDON, June 2S. "The British and Americans have turned over to the Red Army more than 1,200,000 liberated prisoners and displaced persons in the 17 days smce the signing of the agreement In Liepzig,” says Reuter’s correspondent at Supreme Headquarters. “This leaves only 800,000 Russian nationals in the west German zone. . . “The Russians in the same period returned more than 300,000 displaced western Europeans to the British tod American tones.”

INQUIRY ON LEVANT TROUBLE

LONDON, June SB. The French Government has requested that a neutral, impartial commission of three be appointed by committee of the United NahonsCra|ference at Sah Francisco to tovanigate the origin of dispute In the levant.