Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-09-11
Germans Repu|sed> Poles Claim;
Reich Awaiting Foes Surrender;
Western Front Action Intensified
Berlin Hints
Better Peace
Terms Reward
By LOUIS P. LOCHNER,

WdlIlnR lOT FOldIU W raise JIle
white flag of surrender" an author
itative Berlin source said today.
That will ensure sensible and
decent peace" this informant as
serted. but added that meanwhile
Germany had but one task in the
East: Let arms speak and break
the resistance of the Polish Army
When asked what kind of peace
Germany might offer Poland an in
formed source said that depended
Ion many imponderables.
German spokesman pointed out
that by the terms of her treaty of
mutual aid with Britain Poland can
not make peace alone She must
consult London and Paris.
Hints at Better Terms"
The clear implication was that
Poland would get better terms if
the Western powers were willing to
call off the war on all fronts.
Offlcll quarters said major battle
for possession of Warsaw was near
a decision. German lines were said
to be just west of Warsaw, while
the main Polish positions were at
the capitals eastern edge
Pressure was eXerted from the
north by German troops said to be
advancing with little resistance
toward the fortress city of Modlin
which defends Warsaw where the
NareW River joins the Vistula. Mod
lin is 18 miles northwest of Warsaw.
officials reported many prisoners
and qualities of war material had
been taken.
Occupation of Poznan (Posen)
great industrial city of 275 900 in
habitants, was said to be near as
the result of a great encircling
movement. Poznan is in a large
pocket of western Polish territory
which thus far has escaped occu-
patton.
"POland's Position Hopeless
Expecting that the city would
fall without a real battle, officials
said a reason for the slow tactics
was the large number of Germans
living in PoZnan.
German officialdom regards Po-
lands position as hopeless; serious
ng-continued resistance is con-
sidered impossible.
The supreme high command
however, spoke of the "doggedly
defending" Poles and in its commu-
nique today said "a great battle
was in progress in Poland But it
asserted this was nearing its CHI
max-namely, the destruction of the
Polish army west of the Vistula."
According to unverified. reports
reaching Germany. the Polish gov
eminent has established its new seat
at KrZemieniec, 20 miles from the
Soviet frontier in Southeast Poland.
Commenting on the failure of
high command communiques yes
terday and today to mention the
CAPTURE of LODI an official said the
map showed German troops already
SO far beyond that city that it would
have seemed outdated military in
formation. A special official an
nouncement yesterday said LODI
Poland's greatest textile center 80
miles southwest of Warsaw, had
been captured
Germans Angered by Shippers.
Referring to the battle for War
saw, the high command commu-
nique declared that German troops
were "in the western part of the
city" and that Polish artillery of
every caliber" was firing from east
ern sections of Warsaw on them.
This would indicate shells were fly
ing in high arcs directly over the
city.
Berlin military circles were said
to be considering declaring Warsaw
fortified city so as to justify bonn
bardment of it. German officials
have been angered by the activities
of Polish Snipers.
After lull in Baltic Sea opera
lions, the communique today re-
ported that German land and sea
forces had been cooperating since
yesterday in what appeared to be
an attempt to capture Gdynia, Po-
lands only outlet to the sea.
With the German Navy in con-
troll of the Baltic and with Northern
Pomorze (the Polish CORRIDOR COM
pletely shut off. this harbor is not
able to function.
Nevertheless, it was pointed out.
its seizure would remove the last
vestige of opposition in the north.
Hopes of Early Peace Doomed.
Although the German Army high
command foresaw early collapse of
Polish resistance, popular hopes
that Germany yet might negotiate
peace with France apparently were
doomed by the reports of fighting
in the west.
A succession of new dispatches
from the eastern front told of swift.
methodical successes by German
divisions smashing into Poland.
The air force was reported carry
ing on operations far beyond War
saw, destroying bridges and COM
munication lines. This harassing
action, military officials said, was
shattering the morale and impeding
the retreat of Polish troops.
A communique from the western
'front.' meanwhile, apparently
brought an answer to the question
of whether Britain and France
really meant business or whether
they might deem it better to ar
range a settlement in the event
of a speedy German victory in
Poland.
For the first time the high COM
mand reported skirfnishes between