FATE OF POLAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23488, 27 October 1939, Page 10

FATE OF POLAND

DEVASTATED WARSAW NAZI ADMINISTRATION POST FOB SEYSS INQUART ELECTION IN RUSSIAN AREA By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright LONDON, Oct. 25 Details of the fate of Poland arc now filtering out. Two American Quakers, Mr. William Mac Donald and Mr. Homer Morris, who have been doing relief work, stated that 50,000 were killed in. Warsaw nnd many times that number were wounded. The devastation was heart-rending, they added. Thirty-five per cent of the buildings were reduced to heaps of rubble, while another 25 per cent were badly damaged. The worst havoc was caused in the crowded tenements in the old city and the Jewish quarters. Thousands were still buried under the debris. Survivors had neither homes, money nor work. The Nazi relief organisation was distributing 250,000 hot ineals daily. Jews, however, got nothing. Typhoid Spreading Thousands of Polish soldiers were straggling along the roads hungry and desperate. Gangs of prisoners and Jews wore forced to clean up the streets of Warsaw. Typhoid was spreading and the water was unusable. in addition to the appointment of Dr. Hans Frank as Governor-General of the German-occupied territory in Poland, Dr. Seyss Inquart (who took control in Austria from Dr. Kurt Schuschnigg) has been nominated by a decree as deputy-Governor-General, personally responsible to Hitler, says a Berlin message. Soviet Changes

The Russians are changing'the whole structure of life in East Poland, says a message from Budapest. Small shops are not allowed to remain in the hands of the owners, while the big shops and factories are vested in tho workers' committees. Land reforms bring each peasant 12 acres and a pig and a cow. Russian is the prescribed main language in the cities. Teaching of religious knowledgo is banned from the schools. It is announced that 96 per cent of the registered voters participated in the White Russian elections. Only two of the 939 candidates failed to receive majorities. The percentages of adverse votes received by tho remainder were never above 15 per cent. Eleven out of 1495 candidates in tlie West Ukraine did not receive the necessary, majority. Special by-elections will be held.

GAS PROPAGANDA FURTHER DIRECT DENIAL {Received October 26, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, Oct. i?n A statement that he was glad to be able to repeat categorically that Britain had not supplied poison gas to Poland in any form was made by the Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, in the House of Commons. Asked if it was the view of the Government that this persistent German allegation was studied propaganda undertaken to justify the use of poison gas by Germany, Mr. Chamberlain replied, "We have had similar instances in the past."

ITALIAN TRADE DRIVE MISSION TO BULGARIA (Received October 20, 5.5 p.m.) BERLIN, Oct. 25 The official German news agency says an Italian delegation has arrived at Sofia for trade talks after concluding a trade treaty with Yugoslavia. CRICKETER IN NEW YORK NOT ON TORPEDOED SHIP NEW YORK. Oct. 25 The New Zealand cricketer H. G. Vivian arrived aboard the steamer Georgic, lit and well. He expressed surprise at the false report that he was a survivor of the Yorkshire. Vivian will sail for Auckland shortly.

SUPPLIES TO SOLDIERS

LONDON, Oct. 2"> Men aged between 35 and 50 years have been invited to recruit in the Auxiliary Pioneer Corps to ensure continuity of supplies to the troops at home and abroad,