The Sun and the New York herald., 1920-08-21
MORE SEVERE SIEGE
FOR STLECIA TOWN
French Generals Proclamation
Warns of Punishment If
Disorders Recur.
WILL TAKE HOSTAGES
Labor's Demand Brusquely
Rejected--Poles Occupy the
Entire Border.
Ill TAKE HOSTAGES

BERLIN, Aug. 20.--Gen Gattey OF the
French army sent to KattowitZ by Gen.
Lerond, head of the Inter-Allied Com
mission In Upper Sllesla, has ordered
the state Of siege proclaimed In Katto-
witz maintained with the utmost SO.
verify. says a message to the VoSSische
zeitung from Kattowltz.
Addressing the leading authorities In
tho city. including the prefect OF police,
the chief of the security police and trade
preaching them for failure to observe
the undertakings OF their representa-
tives, is quoted as having declared
Our patience has reached its limit.
We will make no further concessions,
Before I take the severe measure OF
martial law deem 1t necessary to warn
you of the consequences which may be
ehtailed for your families and your
State. Your lying press vituperates us,
but we are here solely to maintain order
and will do so despite all opposition. I
trust you will help me, but / must
point out that II the disorders recur /
will take you as hostages. Whoever Is
In the streets after s Z. NJ. risks his
life"
OlllGI 0Obi NSo ~ 40
ported that trades union leaders have
urged the substitution Of Italians for the
French troops Of occupation, but Gen.
Gattey. 1t is said. brusquely rejected the
demand and broke off the negotiations.
On orders Of the Interallied Commits
sion at Oppeln, French troops have left
for Laurahutte and Hogutscheutz, Sill
esla.
Two thousand Polish troops are occu-
plying the entire border district Of Up
per Silesia. Gobutschuetz, Nlklsch-
schacht, Laurahutte and all the towns
east of Kattowitz are in their possession.
A serious clash occurred In Laura
hutte between security police and civil
ians and the Poles. The security police
suffered loss Of twelve men dead and
many wounded.
The Poles have already arrived In the
immediate vicinity Of Kattowitz. At 4
o'clock this morning they clashed with
tho security police. The police were
heavily outnumbered and were forced
to withdraw. Among the Polish pris-
oners taken were some Of Gen, Haller's
soldiers. 1t is believed the Poles intend
to shut down the mines.
The present rioting In Kattowitz SEEM
fetal quarters, where II was held that
when Polands fortunes of war began to
diminish there was q change of sentl-
mcnt noticed in the sllesian pleb!scite
districts which permitted the conclusion
in high circles that If vote were taken
now it would show an overwhelming
majority In favor Of attachment to Ger
many.
U7,i1a fha rrnrkare apJ oil of
the population in Upper Silesia are re-
ported to be firmly determined to have
Germanys neutrality rigidly observed
in connection with the Russo-Polish war.
and while this attitude Is believed to
have been the pretext for the\ present
outbreak, in informal discussions in Off
cial quarters in Berlin 1t has been con-
tended that the inhabitants of the Pile
biscite region gradually were finding
their patience at an end as result not
1nly Of the reported fragrant manner IN
which Polish propaganda was carried
on and the continued alleged French ex-
cesses. but also because of the alleged
attitude OF the interallied commission
toward establishing a fixed date for the
plebiscite. This reported accumulation
II grievances Is declared now to have
been augmented by the neutrality fac
tor. which finds the populace a firm
unit.
The German press hitherto has been
chary in its comment on the situation.
While deplorlng the outbreaks in Upper
Slesia because, it says, they are likely
still further to compicate Germany's
tangled foreign situation, the Tde1NSche
r RundschaM expresses the belief that the
occurrences have given evidence OF
healthy national viii which will prove
Upper Silesia faithful to Germany when
the ballots are counted"
The Freiheit denied that the outbreak
indicates sentiment in favor OF allegi-
Snce to Germany. This newspaper de-
clared the populace primarily faVors the
strictest neutrality. "The Upper Silesian
workmen decline to keep the watch on
the Rhine there as our Nationalists
la,,n uaUc tho EYSihejt