Detroit evening times., 1945-05-29

TINE national tragedy of Poland, first
i nation to fight against Hitler's tyr
amy only to fall under the equally cruel
tyranny of Stain, is very imperfectly
understood III America.
This tragedy has been extended over a
period of more than five years. 1t has
been reported in scattered episodes. Con-
seouently the consistent deliberate design
of the Soviet government TO destroy
Polands independence as a nation has
been obscured.
The widespread fear of candidiy dis
cussIng Stains actions, policies and
notWes since Russia Was dralDn into the
tDar has led to further confusion.
MANY important events in Soviet
Polish relations have been CLOSED over.
Others. like the Kathyn Forest massacre,
have been misrepresented or ignored.
In ORDER to understand how the Polish
L situation stands today il is necessary
to review briefly the highlights of Soviet
Polish relations since the beginning of the
second world war.
1t rs an Indisputabie fact, never men,
toned by some radio commentators and
syndieated journalists, that the Soviet
Union and Poland had concluded a treaty
of mutual nonaggression, based on re-
spect for existing frontiers, and valid for
10 years, in 1882
Poland was faithful TO this treaty and
refused three offers of Hitler to join him
in attacking Russia. Stain, on the other
hand. enthusiastically broke his word
at the first opportunity and concluded
'nonaggression treaty" with Hitler which
soon turned into treaty of mutual ag-
/ LgreSSion against -Poland---
The Soviet Union stabbed Poland in
the back by invading the country from
the east while the Germans were crushing
Polish resistance in the west. Molotov,
then as now Soviet commissar of foreign
affairs, gloatingly told the Soviet paria-
ment on Oct 81. 1899:
lone swift blow to Poland, first by
the German army and then by the Red
army, and nothing was left of this ugly
offspring of the eSersailie treaty.
-KVNHESE- words should be remembered
Il when the Soviet Union is given credit
for "Hberatng' Poland. The extinction Of
Polish national independence was and is
the aim of the Soviet government.
For almost two years Poland was
about equally divided between Germany
and the Soviet Union On both sides of the
reign of terror, designed to DESTROY the
trained leadership of the Polish people
We have heard much of German cru
city. little Of Soviet
But the Polish government in London
in an official note, declared that 500 900
people, Poles, Ukranians, Jews and
Others were uprootedo and forcibly de-
ported to Russia.
The inhumanity of this enormous mass
conscription for slave labor is attested in
two passages in Ann Su Cardwel's
Poland and Russia, which I quote
THE January and February weather
was bitter cold that year and the suffer
ing of the deported was indescribable
Thousands of children in these transports
frOZe to death.
''To the Polish embassy in Kuibyshey
rapidly swelling stream of human
wreckage began to flow. BY train and on
foot it poured in flood of ragged, ema-
ciated. i'll, even dying people. The number
OF tOOthless, because Of scurvy. was ap-
palling. Skin disease and terrible boils
were the common lot"
Ann Su Cardwell IS an American
woman who lived in Poland for many
years and who had access to many of the
statements of Poles who were released
from Soviet prison camps.
! nESPITE the ruthessness of Soviet
- rule in Eastern Poland the Polish
! government in London continued to re-
gard Hitler as the main enemy
When Hitler attacked Russia in June,
! 1941, Gen. Wladyslaw Sikorski, then head
! of the Polish government, signed an
agreement with the Soviet government
stipulating that "the Soviet German
treaties of 1899 as to territorial changes
in Poland have lost their validity"
1t is interesting TO note in view of
later events, that the Soviet government
raised no question as to the legitimate
representative character of the Sikorski
government, which was composed Of rep
Brain Game Fields are
In .