NOT BLUFFING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23867, 22 July 1939, Page 13

NOT BLUFFING

DECLARATION BY POLAND WOULD FIGHT FOR DANZIG "NO OTHER WAY OUT" PLAIN SPEAKING TO NAZIS (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) WARSAW, July 20. A statement broadcast in Polish, German and Italian says: " Poland declares simply and openly that she will fight for Danzig. There is no other way out for us if the occasion comes. Let the words of Marshal Smigly-Rydz be understood by those who believe that Danzig can be swindled from Poland. England and France have declared their solidarity with Poland. Let the rulers of Germany understand that it depends only on their decision whether the battlefields of Europe will be covered with millions of dead and wounded and whether the greatest cities fall in ruins for one provincial Baltic town. It is necessary to understand that . Polish policy does not include bluff. Poland has said her last words through her Commander-in-chief." THE WHOLE NATION READY FIGHTING FOR INDEPENDENCE WARSAW, July 21. (Received July 22, at 1.15 a.m.) The broadcast included the following quotation from the statements by Marshal Smigley-Rydz: " Even if she has to fight alone, Poland has decided to fight for Danzig. If all other methods of settling the Danzig problem fail, and the Germans occupy Danzig, Poland will consider that a caufe of war. We will exhaust all methods of settling the question peacefully, and then, if Germany persists in an anchluss, Poland will fight, even without allies. The whole nation is ready to fight for Poland's independence, for when we say we will go to war over Danzig, we are fighting for independence. Danzig is necessary for Poland. Whoever controls Danzig controls our economic life. Our commerce floods across Danzig and across Gydnia. Whoever controls Danzig controls Gydnia." ,

TENSION INCREASING SHOOTING OF A POLE DANZIG, July 20. The shooting of a Pole at the village of Postelau has suddenly increased the tension. The Danzig Senate apologised to Poland, where the incident is regarded as inexcusable provocation. A German news agency reports that a Danzig Customs official shot and wounded a Polish border guard near Postelaui It is alleged; that the Pole, standing on Polish territory, fired without warning. Then the Danzig resident fired in self-defence. WARNING TO POLAND CLAIMS IN "EAST PRUSSIA BERLIN, July 20. General von Brauchitsch, in his soeech at Tannenberg, rejected the alleged Polish claims in East Prussia, and warned Poland, "We are nqt seeking war, but fear it even less. We want to emphasise that this is old German land." REPORTED GERMAN PLAN NEGOTIATIONS WITH BRITAIN WARSAW, July 20. (Received July 21, at 5.5 p.m.) Polish political circles express the opinion that the plan of provocation conceived by Germany attained realisation in Danzig with the shooting of a frontier guard. The seriousness of the situation has not decreased. On the contrary, reports are current in Berlin that Herr Hitler has worked out a plan <ior Anglo-German negotiations.