SOVIET-NAZI AGREEMENT

Grey River Argus, 20 September 1939, Page 9

SOVIET-NAZI AGREEMENT

FOR DISMEMBERING POLAND A Six-Point Arrangement

[Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] BERLIN, September 1& With the High Command - claiming the complete collapse of the Polish front, and the German and Soviet troops about 50 miles apart, the German Press to-day published an inspii' ed statement, disclosing a. six-point German-Russian agreement for the partition of Poland. The Governments agreed as follows: (1) The Polish State, from the moment of its creation after the World War ; lacked natural conditions of Statehood. (2) The Polish State collapsed through its ow n incompetence. (3) Germany and Russia, must reorganise the various nationalities in Poland, by “creating corporate bodies of Europe.” (4) The task of Germany and Russia is to establish a complete new settlement in their spheres of influence, assuring peace and order. . I (5) British and French claims, that they should assist Poland, have been proved groundless, and their alliances with Poland no longer exist. (6) Britain and France are now confronted with the question, “What 1 is their objective in fighting Germany?" 1 LONDON, September 18. |

The British United Press Moscow correspondent states that the “Izvestia” map clearly indicates the proposed new' Polish boundaries, under the ambiguous caption, “Exit Line of German Troops.” Tho line extends from a point on the far eastern frontier through Bialystok, Brest Litovsk and Lemberg to the Carpathians, near the junction of the Roumanian and Ruthenian frontiers. The implication is that the Soviet troops are expected to take all Western White Russia and the Western Ukraine, leaving the Germans a free hand in the remainder of Poland.

POLISH AMBASSADOR. ORDERED FROM MOSCOW. LONDON, September 18. The Moscow correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” states that the Polish Ambassador has been ordered to leave Russia immediately for Roumania, with his entire staff. SOVIET WESTWARD MOVE. PAN-SLAV IDEA AGAIN? (Received Sept. 19, 9.36 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 18. The New York “Herald Tribune’s Rome correspondent says: It is significant that Signor Bastiamni was Ambassador to Poland for four, years. His appointment indicates that Italy has no sympathy with the latest aggression. No doubt Italy is apprehensive of Russia’s westward move, carryin g with it the possibility of the rebirth of the dream of a PanSlav Balkans.

SOVIET IDEAS WANTS ALL “WHITE” RUSSIA AND WEST UKRAINE. MOSCOW, September 18. The Government newspaper "Izvestia,” published a map, on which a line of exit” for German t™°PS ’f drawn, from a point on the East Prussian frontier through Brest |L ovsk and Lemberg to a point near the Western Roumanian boundary. u. ls > beiieved that a buffer State, presumably Central Poland, and possibly including Warsaw, is envisaged. It appears that, in any event, the common German-Russian boundary Will «’« East Prussia. . The Berlin radio says that Russia and Germany are merely aiming to re-establish peace in Poland. 'The action of the Russian and German troops is not connected with any amis contrary to the spirit of the RussianGerman non-aggression pact.” RUSSIAN ADVANCE Into Poland PARIS, September 18. A radio from Riga states that the Russians have occupied Vilna. Two columns are advancing on Pinsk. LONDON, September 18. The Helsinki correspondent of the London “Times” reports the almost unimpeded advance of the Russian troops into White Russia. Russian bombers destroyed the Polish border station at Sniatyn. MOSCOW, September 18 ; The radio reports that, the Russian troops are being deliriously welcomed by the populations in White Russia and the Ukraine. Civilians are greeting the soldiers with flowers. Political Commissars had begun organising meetings, in order to tell the people what a wonderful' life the Soviet citizens enjoy. The troops everywhere are hailed as liberators by the poverty stricken people.

Nazi and Red Army CONTRAST IN POLAND. BERLIN, September 18. The German and Soviet troops met, at Brest Litovsk. I The official radio announced that the Russian and German troops who met at Brest Litovsk exchanged dip- J lomatic courtesies, and began negotiations in order to define the respective zones of occupation. • ‘ MOSCOW, September 18. | A German-Soviet communique states: “In order to forestall unfounded rumours, the Russian and German Governments declare that the actions of their troops are not contrary to the interests of Germany and Russia, nor contradicting the spirit or the letter of the Russo-German ' non-aggression pact. On the contrary, their task is “to establish peace in Poland, and to assist its population to reconstitute their normal existence.” <. 1 n

13 POLISH CITIES Taken by Red Army ADVANCE ON TWO MORE. CERNAUTI, September 18. It is reported that the Soviet troops' hold the Roumanian border towns ot Zaleszczyki and Sniatyn, and are! closing in on Kuty. I Roumania is heavily reinforcing the frontier where the Russians and Germans are expected to meet. ; It is officially stated that Russia has given an assurance that she will respect Roumanian neutrality and territory. (Received September 19, 9.40 p.m.) MOSCOW, September 18. A communique was issued here this evehing, which stated that the Russiaii troops in Poland have occupied North Sventsiany, Lida, Novogrudok, and Oryla, on the Niemen River. j They have also occupied Slonim, Vokovysk, and Yaglevichi, on the railway between Minsk and Brest-Lit-ovsk. ! '4s In the south the Soviet forces have occupied Sarny, Lutsk, Sanislavov, Garlich, Krasne, and Buchach. i i The correspondent adds: The advancing columns of Soviet troops are approaching the city of Lwow (Lemberg) in the south-east of Poland, and, Wilno (Vilna) in the north-east.

FIGHTING AT VILNA. BETWEEN POLES AND RED ARMY. (Received September 20, 12.7 a.m.). , 'RIGA, September J 9. It is stated here that the Russian forces began to enter Vilna city yesterday night. There was some street fighting .in Vilna between Russian and Polish troops. ... White Russian folk songs,, which had not been heard in Poland for years, were sung. The Lithuanians, however, hope that Russia will return Vilna City to Lithuania wherefrom Poland seized it in 1920. (Recevied September 19, 11.40 p.m.) MOSCOW, September 19.' The Soviet General Staff, in a night communique, states: The Red Army’s advance columns are approaching Lwow and Vilna. I LONDON, September 18. | “The Times’s” correspondent oh the Polish frontier says that Roumania is most unlikely to assist Poland against Russia, although the Rou-manian-Polish alliance pact binds her to do so.

MOSCOW REPORT On Red Army Exploit (Received September 19, 8.50 P-W-)-NEW YORK, September 18. The “New York Times” correspondent at Moscow says: “British ay* I*' 1 *' ! ori,tative circles d 0 not believe that the latest Russian move was planned at the time of the signature of the Russian-German Pact. On the contrary they consider there is a mutual Russian-German distrust. It is emphasised that they believe Herr Von Ribbentrop promised that the German forces in Poland would not proach nearer than a line running through Brest Litovak. When the Soviet saw the Germans nearing this line, the Soviet decided to act, and notified Germany, which put the best face, and pretended to give her approval to the move. The correspondent says: From a military viewpoint, the Russians have not improved their position visavis new line, and similarly their hold on frontiers will take time. Politically the Soviet has gained considerably, as, apart from the fact that Germans are prevented approaching the Soviet border, and seizing the Ukraine, the invasion of Poland by the Red Army has given Russia easy access to Europe. Ironically, the Hungarians, whose hatred of Dr. Benes was based on the allegation that a RussianCzech Pact had brought Russia back to Central Europe, now have Russian troops along their frontier. But, unless Russia co-operates, Germany is again barred from the Roumanian oilfields, except by way of Hungary. “The Russian people’s first feelings were ones of shocked bewilderment at the invasion. These quickly were replaced with satisfaction and some jingoism over the prowess of the glori-, ous Red Army, The Intelligentsia say they are pleased that the Soviet ‘resumed its proper task of liberating oppressed people.’ i “It is not expected that the Soviet system will be established in Poland. Rather there will be a controlled state, similar to that of Outer Mongolia. There is at present no attempt at socialisation.”

RUSSIAN NOTE TO POLAND. DECLINED BY AMBASSADOR. KUTY, September 18. I A Polish Government communique approved the Moscow Ambassador’s action in declining to accept the Rus-j sian note. The Polish Government strongly protests against Russia’s unilateral breaking of the PolishRussAn non-aggression pact, also the invasion of Poland, when the whole nation is fighting with all its might against the German aggressor. The Soviet’s reasons are parried by the statement that the Polish Government is carrying out its duties normally. The Polish army is still struggling. Russia alone can be blamed if she complains of lack of contact with the Polish Government. The Russian Ambassador left Poland, while the entire Diplomatic Corps laintained contact.