OPEN DEFIANCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10896, 10 May 1921, Page 6

OPEN DEFIANCE

POLISH INSURCENTS NO RESPECT FOR ALLIED AUTHORITY. THE NEW D’ANNUNZIO; By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Published in TVi- Times " LONDON May 8. “The Times” correspondent at Sosnowice pictures chaos and turmoil in Silosia. The Allies’ authority, backed bv ten thousand soldiers, tanks, and artillery, lias been set at nought by the insurgents, and our distinguished colonels forced -to .parlay - with beardless pitboys, Korfa-ntz’s commanders, wno' are ruthlessly expelling the Allies from the country. The insurgent army is a ragged band, including many women, and mostly boys. Fifty thousand are armed, and the discipline is excellent. .The older men are acting as police pattrols, a system..which is in operation throughout the country. One result is that there is no license or disorder, except exuberant youths, who fire rifles ‘ and throw bombs in exultation at the success of the natiOMal cause. Korf&ntz controls the whole movement.. His principal lieutenant is a young German officer. "Qe‘" has'. brought in- : dustry and the railways to a. stand--1 still, closed the shops, stopped publication of the newspapers, and refuses to allow an ounce of coal to be raised until the so-called Korfantz line is recognised. He is ready to sit tight, backed' by Poland’s national opinion, and defy the world. The French heat off the insurgents’ attacks at Kattowitz with heavy losses, but Korfantz holds undisputed sway in the surrounding country. The tanks did grim execution among the Poles, but they do not seem to mind. News from Warsaw indicates that the Government has lost control of the’ country. REACHED ITS ZENITJi SIGNS OF THE MOVEMENT ABATING. Srawr’s Xetecram.i PARIS, May 8. The conference of Ambassadors has proclaimed that recourse to force by the inhabitants of Upper Silesia will not influence the Allies’ decisions as regards allotting the dispufted territories. The latest reports indicate that the insurgent movement has reached its zenith, and there are now signs of abatement, but Korfantz asserts that be will never give up an inch of the newly-acquired territory. germatTvolunteers FORMATION OF DETACHMENTS. J BERLIN May 8. Thousands of German volunteers are forming detachments in Upper Silesia. Already they have met with some success near Ratihor, driving the Poles across the Uder. RUSSIAN-GERMAN TRADE TERMS OF AGREEMENT. Banter's Telegram LONDON, May 8. A Russian-German trade agreement has been signed, terminable in three years. It authorises the exchange of commercial delegations enjoying diplomatic prerogatives; merchant ships to have the customary privileges; speedy resumption of inter-postal and telegraph services; and the exchange of prisoners. Political propaganda is barred. “SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT.” (Received May 9, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 8. The “Daily Telegraph's.” Berlin correspondent, referring to the Silesian situation, says there may he something significant in the fact that the RussoGerman commercial treaty was signed on Friday. It was .long' believed that a secret treaty preceded the one just signed, and that it pledged help for Germany in Silesia by exerting pressure on the eastern Polish frontier.