The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-24
GERMANS CLOSE
SILESIAN BORDER
BY Proclamation Ebert FOrbids
Further Invasion.
Extra Frontier Guards Are Or
dered on Duty.
SPEED REPLY TO FRENCH
Ultimatum Threatened New
Penalties if No Action Taken.
German Government Had Been
Warned Twice.

Berlin, May 24.-Germany closed
the Silesian frontier.
President Ebert in proclamation
declared the government will punish
severely any volunteer organization
attempting to cross into Silesia.
Extra troops were ordered to the
border as a patrol to present volun-
teers from crossing the line
President Ebert in a proclamation
today announced the government will
punish severely any volunteer corps
organized for service in Silesia.
The proclamation announced that
the formation of such corps is for
hidden and that there must be no
attempt to cross the Silesian frontier
Must Stop Invasion.
London, May 24.-Further invasion
of Upper Silesia by unorganized Ger
man forces may result in a discussion
of penalties by France and Great Brit
ain, 1t was intimated at the foreign
office today
The foreign office, however, denied
that Great Britain had joined France
in the latter's ultimatum that penal
ties will be exacted if the fighting in
Silesia is not stopped. French reports
said that the ultimatum was served
by both nations.
Berlin Sends Reply.
Paris, May 24.-Germany replied to-
day to the French communica ton OF
yesterday on the Silesian situation, the
reply declaring in effect that Germany
had taken the most rigorous measures
toward closing the frontier with Up
per Silesia.
The German ambassador. Doctor
Mayer. informed Premier BRAND that
the German government had decided
to close the Silesian frontier and
oblige the volunteer corps to disband.
After his call French official circles
were optimistic regarding the Upper
Silesian situation. The promptness OF
the reply was considered a good
, nugury of the disposition of the Berlin
government to avoid trouble.
The appointment of DIR. Friedrich
Rosen, the German minister to Hol-
land. as foreign minister in the Ger
man cabinet on the contrary created
q. most unfavorable impression. The
French foreign office regards Doctor
Rosen as an inveterate enemy OF
France. owing to his attitude both be-
fore and since the Tangier incident
in which he played an important role.
German Answer Made Speedily.
The German answer came with un-
precedented speed, the French de-
mand having been submitted to the
German ambassador here only last
night.
France twice warned the Berlin
government that penalties will be ex-
acted II German volunteers are not
prevented from entering Silesia.
The first note was a demand that
Germany close the Silensian frontier
Tnd prevent traffic in arms. To thls,
Germany replied that she was unable
to prevent the Silesian population
from acting as it sees fit.
The Germans also took the oppor-
tunity TO criticise the French for not
taking action to prevent the Polish
invasion of Silesia. 1t charged that
French troops "defaulted" in their
duty of maintaining order in the
piebiscite area. The inter-allied COM
mission in Silesia has sole RESPONSE
bility for conditions, it said.
Poles Arc Defeated.
Oppeln. Upper Silesia, May "a
Armed only with knives, German vol
unteers successfully charged Polish
machine gun nests Saturday, according
to eye witnesses descriptions of the
fighting reaching here today
Desperate efforts were made by the
Germans to dislodge the Polish in
vaders- The Germans lost heavily
but they succeeded in driving the
Poles from a large area along the
Oder river and captured extensive
stores of arms and ammunition.
At Gross Gorschutz, on the Czecho-
Slovakian frontier, the Germans
rounded up more than a thousand
Poles. Along the boundary, stood
armed Czecho-Slovaki ready TO pre-
vent invasion of their country. Caugh
in a pocket, the Poles threw up theil
hands.
Capture French Munitions.
The Germans declared they OBJ
tanned a number of unopened case!
of French ammunition. They alsC
charged that some of the guns cap
tured were identified as German
weapons which they had been com
PEELED to give to the French wher
they disarmed.
Rather than face the problem o
feeding the prisoners. they were re
leased after being disarmed and re
turned to the Silesian villages whenc,
they came.
In southern Silesia a large German
force obtained an armored train from
which they fired, inflicting heav!
damage on Polish forces.