RUSSIANS “CLEAN UP”

Southland Times, Issue 23931, 25 September 1939, Page 8

RUSSIANS “CLEAN UP”

Reel Army’s Advance

11l Poland

ANXIOUS WATCH FROM RUMANIA

(United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received September 24, 7.10 p.m.)'

LONDON, September 23. The Moscow correspondent of the Associated Press says that a Red Army statement announces that troops are “cleaning up” the entire Polish front, have occupied Bialstok and Brest Litovsk and have started “mopping up the remnants of the Polish Army in Augustov forests, north-west ot Grodno. Russian troops are similarly engaged in the western Ukraine. _ The statement adds that six Polish infantry divisions and two independent regiments have surrendered in the Lemberg area since September 17, ana that the Russians have taken 120,000 officers and soldiers prisoners, 380 heavy guns and 1400 machine-guns. The Bucharest correspondent of The Times says that the Russians are ieported to have let loose the peasantiy in Poland, who are looting and seizing property on large estates. The President of Poland (M. Ignace Moscicki) and the Foreign Minister (Colonel Josef Beck) are watching the interests of 100,000 fellow refugees in Rumania, but their position under international law is obscure. The position is complicated by clear suggestions that unless they are promptly interned it would be regarded by Germany as a breach of neutrality. Rumania is studying the position and is anxious to observe her neutrality punctiliously while preserving courtesy to Poland, with which she has a friendly alliance. The Russian forces have revived the uneasiness in Rumania which has been latent since the Rumanian occupation ot Bessarabia. The Government has announced the granting of fresh minority privileges to the German communities in Bessarabia, presumably with the object of countering Russian designs. CAPTURE OF 450,000 POLES CLAIMED (Receiyed September 24, 11.30 p.m.) BERLIN, September 23. A communique claims that the total of Polish captures is 450,000 men and 1200 guns. POLISH GOLD ON WAY TO ENGLAND (Received September 24, 11.30 p.m.) COPENHAGEN, September 23. Flying so low that its markings were plainly seen, a Polish aeroplane flew over Goethenburg. It is stated that it had received special permission to fly over neutral countries to England carrying a big quantity of gold and important Polish citizens.