LATEST NAZI CRIME

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 June 1942, Page 3

LATEST NAZI CRIME

GESTAPO SLAVE DRIVE IN POLAND HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE ROUNDED UP. SENT TO SOME UNKNOWN DESTINATION. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, June 17. The Gestapo carried out a mass round-up of Poles in Warsaw yesterday. Detachments of Storm troops threw a cordon round Napoleon Square and the adjoining streets, and more than 100,000 Poles were taken into custody. They were sent to an unknown destination.

A few weeks ago the Gestapo rounded up 5000 people in Poland and sent them to forced labour in Germany. It is assumed that the latest action was taken because the Germans fear that the assassination of Heydrich will be followed by similar attacks in Poland. The manpower problem in Germany, which became acute when the Russian campaign developed into a long and bitter struggle with the prospect of a second front growing as well, has led to what amounts to general conscription of foreign labour (states a British Official Wireless message). About six months ago Herr Fritz Sauckel was appointed labour dictator, with his powers extending to the occupied territories. This appointment justifies the belief that all beguilements have faded to get the labour required, and that compulsion will be imposed without regard to countries or individuals. The Foreign Secretary, Mr Eden, said in the House of Commons today that the Government had been informed of the crimes committed by Germany against Poland. He reiterated the Prime' Minister’s statement that retribution for such crimes must henceforward take its place among the major purposes of the war. “ONLY AN EXAMPLE” NAZIS AND THE SACK OF LIDICE. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 18. Hints that the razing of the Czech village of Lidice may be the forerunner of similar “punishment” are appearing in the Prague Press, according to agency reports. It is stated that “the burning of Lidice and the execution of the inhabitants was only an example of the punishment which will be meted out to any village acting against Germany.”