POLAND ALARMED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19897, 27 March 1939, Page 5

POLAND ALARMED

HASTY DEFENCE SECRET MOBILISATION TREBLING ARMY STRENGTH TRAGIC CZECH LESSON SLOVAK BORDER CLASH (l’lei\ Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Mar. 27, 9 a.m.) LONDON, Mar. 27. Poland is deeply alarmed at European developments, says an Independent Cable Service message from Warsaw.

She has shelved consideration of the declaration against aggression and is devoting her whole attention to measures for her own defence. Secret mobilisation is in progress and is estimated to bring the army strength to 1,500,000, which is treble

the normal strength and provides the framework for a wartime force of 4,000,000. The move is not admitted officially and the Polish newspapers are forbidden to mention it. Unconfirmed reports have been received of fighting between Germans and Poles on the Slovak-Polish frontier at Bohumin, resulting in the retirement of the Germans. The incident is not expected to lead to serious consequences. The Polska Zbrojna, official journal of the War Office, says: "Poland understands the lesson of the Czech tragedy. We are ready for war, even with tiie strongest antagonist. Poland has no inferiority complex in relation to any of the big Powers, and is terrified neither at the number of regiments nor the technical armaments of any other Power. We believe in the strength of our own divisions find the fighting spirit of our men.” Retirement by Democracies Other newspapers write in similar vein. The Polska Zbrojna also indicates the Polish attitude to tile Powers’ proposed declaration against aggression as follows:—“The western democracies display indignation when trouble arises, but they retire quickly to their normal composure without producing any real change of method. We cannot rely on mere indignation. We must follow a policy of realism.” The President of Poland, Dr. Ignacy Moscicki, General Slawo-Sklad-kowski, Premier, and Peasant Party leaders, held a conference to discuss the reorganisation of the Government. It is expected that this will be carried out on a broader basis. Well-informed circles believe the Peasant leader, M. Witos, will return and be pardoned. Polish reservists of the 1914-15 classes and specialists wore called up on Friday, it was reported, for the purpose qf strengthening the northern frontier. LUTHUANIAN STAND .PREPARED TO FIGHT (Reed. March 27. 9 a.m.) KAUNAS. March 25. The Commander-in-Chief of the Lithuanian Army, General Rastikis. in a message of encouragement to the army said: “We are not afraid for our independence. Should our present .soil lie endangered and our independence be attacked we shall not relinquish them without a fight. SUSPENSION BY FRANCE EXPORTS TO CZECHS (Reed. March 27, 9 a.m.) PARIS, March 25. The Government suspended indefinitely export licenses for Czechoslovakia. SWISS FRONTIER GUARDS LOADING OP MINUS (Reed. March 27, !) a.m.) ZURICH, March 26. Dr. Rudolph Minger, the head of the Military Department, in explaining why the frontier mines are loaded and bridges guarded, said that these measures were due to the general uncertainty of the international situation. LIEGE BISHOP PROTESTS NAZI TENDENCIES (Reed. March 27, 10 a.m.) BRUSSELS, March 26. The Bishop of Liege has issued a pastoral protesting against Nazi and raciafistic tendencies. The pastoral was read in churches in eastern Belgium to-day.