Evening star., 1939-09-21

Americans from Poland. Are you
taking over authority here? Is this
Poland or Russia?"
You are no longer in Poland, this
is Soviet village" the officer re-
piled. He had three small red
squares on the collar of his greenish-
brown uniform and wore a pistol at
his side.
IN that case," Mr.. Morton replied,
II am to consider that my job here
has ended and request permission to
leave"
THE frontier is closed and you
will have to wait two or three days
until the commissar from Moscow
arrives" the Russian replied.
Mr.. Morton returned to Turnau
Palace and hoisted a small six by
eight American flag on a pole stuck
in the front of the lawn. He than
put his request formally in writing
and delivered the letter to the off,
Ger. The officer put it in his brief
case and politely assured Morton,
The commissioner from Moscow
will be here in two or three days."
The bulk of the population of
ZaleszcyA seemed rather glad over
the developments. The soldiers tell
them that they have come to free
the Polish Ukraine. One man who
talked with the Russian soldiers told
me, They say they are going to
drive the Germans back"
tending to take Mr.. Morton's 1894
Ford sedan but one or the other of
use, pointing at the little American
flag on the pole saying American
consulate" was enough to make
them go away.
In town all the shops were closed
this morning. The Russians are
saying that they must all remain
open and everything go on as usual
and the peasants must come in from
the country with market produce.
But this afternoon, except for bar
barber shop, none opened
Shooting During Night.
ZALESzCZYI, Tuesday. - There
was some shooting in the night and
it seemed that the Russian occupa-
ton was not quite 50 peaceful after
all.
The food situation is becoming
acute. No peasants have brought
anything to the market. This morn
ing only two old women were selling
apples and grapes. Bread has been
strictly rationed. This morning two
Russian officers appeared at the
American consulate and Mr.. Morton
complained about the bread short
age. The officers Immediately sent
their chauffeur to get us some
bread.
Meantime, they vastly appreciated
the American cigarettes given them
by the Vice Consul. The chauffeur
returned with five huge loaves and
the Russians grinned.
Children today are proudly show
ing everybody 5-kopek pieces given
them by Russian soldiers. The hand
out of kopeks to children seems to
have been carried out on a massive
scale.
Shops Still Closed.
Shops are still closed. The money
problem seems to be the inhabitants
greatest worry today. They are ex-
tremely reluctant to sell anything
and are boarding their goods.
Mr.. Morton and I are allowed to
circulate freely within the town
I wandered up to the bridge once
but Mongolian sentry motioned me
back.
Mr.. Morton inquired again about
the possibilities of leaving but as
usual was referred to the commisar
from Moscow who will be here in
two or three days"
The Russians have opened up the
local gaol and let everybody out.
At the railroad station this after
noon, railroad men were sitting
around, not doing anything. There
are no more trains. One man de-
clared that he would take of his
Polish State Railways uniform, roll
up his sleeves and 60 down town to
see what was going on.
| In the evening more troops ar
rived with trucks. People are say
ing that they contain provisions to
relieve the worsening food situation.
The commissar from Moscow still
has not arrived.
Morton Still Stranded.
CERNAUTI, Rumania, Wednes-
day.-When I left Zaleszczki last
night, the frontier was still closed
and Mr.. Morton was still stranded
in town. All efforts to induce the
Russians to let him cross the inter-
national bridge into Rumania had
failed.
The Russians were merely re-
peating the formula about the COM
missar from Moscow. The food
situation in Zaleszczyki was worse.
Morton has a. small quantity Of
canned goods which he is keeping
for an emergency. The Russians
were always polite to him and oblig-
ing just short of permitting linn
to leave. The little American nag
was still on the pole outside the con-
sulate when I left.
Copyright, 1889, Chicaso Daily News, 1nc.)
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