POLES IN ITALY

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 12, 14 July 1945, Page 8

POLES IN ITALY

GENERAL'S BITTER SPEECH Rec. 12.30 p.m. ROME, July 13. In a bitter address to his troops, General Anders expressed his determination- to return to Poland only "with arms in our hands. tie appealed to the troops to join him in the struggle for the future of Poland. You know Poland is-under a slavery which is -daily getting worse," he said. 1 do not want to force anybody to remain with me. I think it would be better" for us to be few in numbers. I am going with you to meet our fate, but-I must be sure of all of you. Dont think that arrest and terror await only those who are supposedly Fascists. Those who remember the arrests and ■persecution of 1939 . .and 1940 know what is going on now is an operation against the entire nation, particularly against peasants and workers." General" Anders declared that all Poles who •had fought in exile throughout the ■war would be branded as deserters as soon as they returned to the homeland. "Let no one be deceived: He ■will go back not to Poland but to Eussia, not to freedom but to captivity." General Anders expressed suspicion about the mobilisation of Poles between the ages of 16 and 65. "One wonders against whom Russia is mobilising these Poles," he said. He appealed to the troops not to despair. «end~said: "From the prisoners and the deported we have founded a powerful free Polish army with which we can iface the future."

TALK OF SIBERIA

Rec. 10 a.m. LONDON, July 13. General Anders, who'has completed a. tour of Polish base camps, promised that the men would return to Poland, but warned them that if they do so it might mean that they would be deported to Siberia, says Reuters Rome correspondent. "Think it over. Don't hurry," said 'General Anders. "It is ihy fiiity to warn you of what may happen when you return. You may easily be,deported to Siberia, and will certainly be forced-to enlist again." Iri view of these facts, Polish soldiers desiring to return are required to make a written request, after which their commanding officers will interview them. ___^_