Evening star., 1940-05-26
SfeEn Nazi Discipline
Proves Effective
Curb on Poles
Reporter Finds Reich
OverIords Master
Of Situation
BY LOUIS p. LOCHNER,

BY LOUIS p. LOCHNER,
Associated Press Foreign Correspondent.
KRAKOW, Poland.-It did not
take many months for the German
administration to make the Poles
OF the Krakow area realize that
the Reich Is master of the Polish
situation.
I visited the new capital of the
general government" meaning
those sections of the former Polish
state as have not been incorporated
in Germany or Soviet Russia, seven
months after 1t fell into German
hands. 1t was the first. visit per-
mitted any American newsman
The general government" is
that south-central section of
Poland, about one-third the size
of the complete Poland before it
was taken over by the Nazis,
which has Krakow as It's center
and capital. 1t is still referred
to as Poland" by the German
government)
Already the lower administration
was functioning to the satisfaction
OF the German overlords-with
Poles throughout in charge.
Administrative Setup.
Polish police, Polish mayors for
the smaller cities, Polish magistrates
melting out justice according to
Polish law (but separate courts, with
German judges, for Germans), =,
Polish postal administration, Polish
railway personnel-such was the
administrative setup.
The trains were running without
military protection. Apparently no
Pole dared try to commit any act
against trains or their personnel or
the travelling public. Deputy Gov.
Gen. Arthur Seyss-Inquart, I re-
called, had told me in Berlin in
January that German justice in the
occupied area was stern and that a
vast cleaning-up process of GRIM
inal elements had taken place.
Whatever the methods may have
been for impressing the Poles with
German authority, they obviously
were effective.
Driving along the countryside in
the Krakow area, I often met Poles
in uniform sitting on horse-drawn
vehicles or working out in the fields.
Officers Treated as Prisoners.
They are disarmed former Polish
soldiers and quite harmless" nv
German guide said. Many of hem
had no other clothes except their
uniforms, SO we let them keep them
"Officers, of course, still are
treated as prisoners of war. But the
common soldier, who wanted noth-
ing more than to return to his farm,
was readily discharged. He is free
to move about at will"
Some 00,000 discharged and dis
armed Polish soldiers, was told, are
back home again, while some 900, 900
are still prisoners in Germany.
The 5000 German officials who
hold the top positions in the ad-
ministration of the general govern
ment, in so far as they reside in
the new capital, Krakow, have their
own casino or club in which "a
spend their evenings. The beautiful,
artistic official residence of the
Mayor OF Krakow has been taken
over for this purpose.
Hitler Purtraits in Buildings.
Further evidence that the Ger
mans consider themselves the over
lords OF the Poles was found in the
presence of Hitler portraits and
Hitler busts In the public buildings.
Another likeness frequently found
side by side with Adolf Hitler's is
that of Gov. Gen. Hams Frank.
Frank. a robust man OF 40 years,
has had a meteoric career since
NaA accession to power. Hitlers
attorney nShis many legal fights
with the republican regime of pre-
1888 days, he was Immediately
placed in charge of revamping Ger
man justice to meet Nazi theology.
Frank subdivided the general
government into four large ad-
ministrative districts, centering at
Krakow, Radon, Warsaw and Lub-
lin, respectively. In each of these
four districts a German appointee
OF his holds supreme authority.
My general impression was that
the Germans have come to stay
barring defeat-and that the ton
administrative positions will remain
in German hands.
Frank insists that the general
government" will emerge as the
national home of the Poles," Just
as they say Palestine is the national
home of the Jews. It is bound, how
ever, to be some sort of vassal Of
Germany's assuming that Germany
wins or at least holds her own in
the World War.
The military is entirely German.
The Hitler "SS" guards keep sharp
control of the population to nip
subversive efforts in the bud.
In the city's street cars there are
signs to the effect that gentiles
must sit on the right side and Jews
on the left.
I tried to do some shopping soon
after my arrival in the city. I soon