The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-07-26
BY RUTH LLOYD

BY RUTH LLOYD
 Nachod, Czech-Polish Border, July 26-(Delayed)-CUP)-Twenty- four Jews, their ages ranging from three months to 73 years, huddled under a tarpaulin lashed over the bed of a truck parked in dark alley somewhere in Poland.
 They were fleeing the terror that the 100000 or so Jews still in Po- land believe to be breathing down their necks They were outbound on the underground railway to Czechoslovakia.
 went with them on what I believe was the first such trip by an Amer ican correspondent. Many hours or was it yearx?-later I plodded miserably into this Czechoslovak terminus of the railway. This is the story of the trip.
 800 on Road
 At least 500 other Jews travelled the underground's rocky paths ! through the dense forests during | the night. A Czech border guard said they averaged 700 night and totaled almost 30,000 since February. Eighteen secret routes converge on Nachod.
 After 20 hours of travel from Warsaw, I met by e-arrangement young leader of the underground. He closely examined my credentials and made me promise to reveal no names of places on the Polish side of the frontier.
 Polish officials in Warsaw are sympathetic-they have been shut ting their eyes to this-but if any thing specific got back to the ter rorists it would cut off our only escape" the youth said. We would be trapped and slaughtered"
 He took me to older leaders of the underground who agreed after ques- tioning that I could go along. At tached to the group, 1 became a part of it and for purposes of the trip lost my identity. Implicit obedience to the commands of the group leader was required. We were to await summons at 5 P. M.
 Trip Cancelled
 By midnight it became apparent that we had been stood up. We soon found out why. Our Polish driver had guessed what was going on, and talked too freely at local saloon. The underground cancelled the scheduled trip.
 But We soon were contacted by a smuggler who offered to take us as private party-for a tidy sum. I paid the equivalent of $50. We left at once in the pitch darkness and boarded the truck. I sat next to an old man who struck up a whispered conversation in English, Polish and German.
 We started out eight days ago." he said, but we ran into a Polish border patrol. I guess they were out for spells that night. They tried to turn us back. We put up a fight We lost and ended up in the city jail with bandaged heads and none of our belongings"
 Released that afternoon, they were on their way again the same night
 Nothing" he said decisively, 'is going to keep me in Poland, even if I die trying to escape. I would die if l stayed"
 Strike Out for Field
 After pumping over rutted back roads for long time, the truck jolted to stop. The guide whisper ed, we walk from here. No talk ing. No smoking. Keep in line. Any laggards will be left"
 A mother hushed the frightened whimpering of her flve-year-old.
 We left the dirt road, I with my heavy suitcase and knapsack-the rest had pitifully small bundles and struck out across the open field. A lightning flash streakeo the sky, We flopped face down te keep our struggling line from be- ing silhouetted against the sky, al- though probably too late to serve that purpose. A drenching down. pour tumbled in the wake of the thunder crash. It lasted just long enough to make us soggy and mis- erable.
 Three tired children were car ried up the slope to which we hac come. frightened gasp from woman who stumbled brought 2 sharp hiss of warning from thu guide. We headed for dark mas! ahead. In the dense forest, feal settled over us. We knew fleeins Jews often were set upon ane robbed by bands rowing the iron tier No Mans Land.
 For half an hour we toiled along slower and slower as the womel tired and begged for rest. Suddenl. our groping line froze. Voice ahead. Tense waiting. Then whispered order to move We plod ded again through the drippinl scrub.
 Breathes Good News
 Our guide didn't speak again un til he was ready to pass along tn line the whispered words:
 We're over.''
 It was anything but anti-climatit It was unbelievable relief. But W still were in a wooded thicket, witt long journey ahead. It was al most daylight when we reached tn edge of the forest and began tn downhill walk to Nachod.
 Tired, wet, wondering how mucl