Evening star., 1945-05-06
|Stettinius, Eden
Ask Full Report
On Poles Arrest
Dispute With Soviet
Comes as PorIey
Makes Fast Strides
fTert OF Stettinius Statement on
Progress OF Conference, Page A-16.)
BY GOULD LINCOLN,
Star Staff Cc-respondent.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 5.-The
troublesome Polish disput was
intensified at the United Nations
conference today when it was
disclosed that Is Polish re-
sistance leaders were under ar
rest in Moscow, Just as great
strides were being made in
writing a world security charter.
Soviet Foreign Commissar v. M,
Molotov admitted in conversations
with Secretary of State Stettinius
and British Foreign Secretary
Anthony Eden two days ago that
the 16 democratic leaders, who were
invited to meet with Soviet military
authorities in Poland late in March,
had been imprisoned. Mr.. Stet-
tinius and Mr.. Eden made the an
nouncement at separate press con-
ferences today. Both Mr.. Stettinius
and Mr.. Eden demanded a full ex-
PLANTATION of the arrests.
Coupled with the announcement
were statements from both that this
serious development had caused
them to inform Mr.. Molotov they
could not continue discussions Of
the Polish issue-certainly not until
this matter has been further clari.
fed. No effort was made to mini.
mize the seriousness of the situation
May Hold News Conference.
Mr.. Molotov so far has made no
public statement regarding the ar.
rest of the Poles. At Soviet head
quarters, it was said he might hold
Ia press conference tomorrow or Mon
day. But whether he would discuss
the arrests or confine himself to a
discussion of the work of the United
Nations on the proposed charter
was not disclosed
The Polish issue is not properly .
matter of consideration by the
United Nations Conference. It Is .
matter for the Foreign Secretaries
of the three nations involved in
order to bring about fulfillment Of
the Yalta agreement for reorgan-
lied provisional Polish government
The issue, however, was injected
into the conference when Mr.. Molo-
tov, in the first days Of the confer
ence, sought to have the Soviet
sponsored Lublin government in Po-
land invited to send a delegation to
the conference. The request was
turned down in the conferences
steering committee
Mr.. Stettinius in his statement on
the arrest of the Polish Democrats
said:
I'VE have asked Mr.. Molotov for
complete list of the names of these
Polish political leaders who have
been arrested and a full explanation
of this action"
British Statement Emphatic.
The statement from the British
delegation was even more emphatic.
It said:
"The foreign secretary has re-
ported this most serious develop
ment to His Majesty's Government
and has informed Mr.. Molotov that.
meanwhile, he cannot continue dis
cussions on the Polish ISSUE"
The Poles arrested by Russia con-
sisted of several from London, sew
eral from the underground in Poland
and others from elsewhere in Europe.
They were invited for discussions
by Marshal Gregory K. Zukhov,
Soviet military commander in that
area. it was said here.
The information given Mr.. Stet-
tinius and Mr.. Eden by the Russians
is that these leaders were arrested
on the charge of "divisionary activ-
tiles" against the Red Army. It
was reported in other quarters that
the Poles are being held for trial
and that the whole story, from the
Russian viewpoint will be developed
then.
This incident has served to damp
en- in some degree the strong feel
ing of optimism over the real prog
ress made toward a draft of the
United Nations charter through
agreements of the Big Four on pro-
posed amendments to the Dunbar
ton Oaks proposals. There is every
indication. however, the conference
(See LINCOLN. Page A-6.9