The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-05-05
Insurgents to Number of 20,- 900 Surround All Large Towns in Industrial Region and Engage Italian Forces, Killing at Least Fifteen.
By Associated Press

Oppeln, Upper Silesia, May 4.-Col- onel Bond, British control officer at Gross Strehlitz, reported to British headquarters here tonight that he opened artillery fire on 2,000 to 5000 Poles attempting to occupy the city. The Poles brought up light field pieces and were replying. Colonel bond, who has approximately 1000 Italian troops, also reported that he probably could not hold out long.
 A British sergeant major has been m0rtally wounded. A crowd of Ger mans attacked Pole in tke streets of Oppeln and beat him to death before the police scoyld interfere.
 No reports have been received here from Rybnik. In Kattowitz crowds are parading the streets, but there is no fighting.
 AppeIn, Upper Silesia, Mays A. The Italian forces at Gross Strehlitz today opened with artillery fire on Poles who were attempting to occupy the city. The Poles replied with field guns.
 Berlin, May 4.--Semi-officiai ndvices received here are to the effect that all the large towns in the industrial region of Upper Siiesia are surrounded by Polish insurgents, while Richters- dorf. a suburb of Gleiwitz, and Kiefer- stndtI have been occupied by rebels. Various places in the district of Orsen- berg are reported to have been similarly occupied.
 The Polish fIIsg is said to he flying from the town hall of RybinlS, but the Italians have expelled the insurgents from Piess and arrested some of their leaders.
 The whole of the right bank of the oder, in the Ratisbor aren. is in the hands of the rebels. The authorities have regained possession of MyslOwlx. ORGANIZED FORCE OF 10000
 HOLD ENTIRE TERRITORY
 Oppcln, Upper SiIesin, May 4.--Or- ganixed Polish forces estimated at 2O.- 900 have occupied all ofUpper silesIa south of n line running from Kosei Iu lAGnONltI, NvttM tue eAceptlOn or N few lprge towns and arc moving fur- ther nerthward. according to informa- ton supplied by il member of the in- ter allied representation here.
 Today, according to one source, the Poles are marching into Cross StrehIltz using motor Iorries and being supplied rifles, machine guns and dynamite.
 Troops at Rybnik, well south i'm the plebisite aren, comprising a regiment l<sR Hs... panies are surrounded by 5000 Poles and n pitched battle has been going on for several hours, the informant stated thIx afternoon.
 The Italian known dead are three of- ffcers, one of them of high rang, and I. privates.
 The main body of Polish forces is said by an interested representative to have crossed the border in motor lorries at 2 o'clock Monday morning, taking posses sion of border towns, blowing up impor- tant railroad bridges and cutting tele- graph and telephone wires. Adelbert korfanty. the Polish plebiscite commis- sioner. was in Warsaw at the time, it was stated
 He learned of the Paris report then be- ing circulated that the council of am. bassadorsN had decided to give only the Pless and Rybnik districts to Poland.
 This report, which official circles here declined at this time to confirm-and it is still unknown that such decision was reached-was the signal for korfan- ty to carry out his threat ito chase the Germans out of the country"
 ALL WELL ARMED Armed men appeared on the Polish side across from Myslowitz, Koenig schutte, Beuthen and Thrnowitz and the W hole moved into Silesia at 2 o'clock simultaneously. There Is no information Eere that they were wearing Polish uni forms but all were well armed and of ficered, and had numerous machine guns and a large number of motor lorries. The officers began distributing money among the peasants, whose sympathies were apparent, and ordered the German residents to get out. Few persons were killed but there was much random shoot ing principally to terrify the fleeing Germans, who left their houses with the doors open, despite which, however, there was no footing or destruction, al- though the lines of communication were cut.
 As the Poles advanced, the plebiscite police turned out. and the Polish police- men are reported to have made short shrift of their German comrades who were forced to hand over their arms and were conducted to the border and driven into Poland Those who resisted were beaten or shot koenigschnette, Beuthen ana (Continued on Page Two)