““THE HINGE OF FATE"
CHAPTER 37.
THE MURDER OF POLISH PRISONERS AT KATYN
After repeated grumbica
at the slow progress of the Tunisian campaign, and the consequent postponement of any Allled landing
Europe, Stalla appeared at the end of March 1043, in a more agrerable mood.
Thanking Mr Churchill Vic- lilm "Desert for the tary," he wrote: "The Alm how depicts magniflerntly Britain is fighting, and stig- matises those scoundrels (there are such people also In our country) who are 18- Is not serting that Britain fighting at all, but is merely an onlooker.
Mr Churchill had now to German con- explain that
centrations
at Narvik
shipping demands for
and
the
to
Stally operation combined Lo make It impossible resume the Arctic convoys
to Russla before September.
M
answer
Y full explanation and accounts were not wholly unre- warded.
Invaders.
By Winston Churchill
committed
A lot
cow raising to fight the German drawal of the Russian guarda crime having been
from the camps would have by Russin. I had heard offered, and when we remember about it from various sources, B Be contacts afterwards dur- but I did not attempt to discuss inst the period of Russo-Polish the fuels. "We have got to beat co-operation. bellef In this filter," I saki, “and this is no theory seems on act of falih. thne for quarrels and charger.*
inconveniences
The Poles, who had long been anxious about the fate of the large group of officers in the three internment camps, asked for their release in order to join
But nothing I could say or do I made one of my rare visits the new Polish Army, to which they would have been invalu- to Charlwell to spend the night prevented the rupture between abste About 400 officers were at my cottage. The telephone the Russian and Polish Govern- collected from other parts of
ments. Many Dounced that the Soviet Am- Russia. But not one from the Lador must see me at once resulted from this. Anyhow, we
camps now in German
# Int of the Polish throes could ever be found. No and was on his way. Maisky ar- had got explanation could be offered to rived in unusual perturbation. fighting men and many of their
out and children inquiries by He brought me a message from women repeated Polish
the hideous Russia. This beneficial their new comrades-in-arins.
charges which the Polish Gov-, still went on fitfully and I con-
in London had
formation and Unued the listed
and sponsored
Against Russia of the wholesale marier equipment in Persia
of three Gen. under divisions of the Polish officer prisoners, Polish the agreement of 1011 would be Anders.
immediately denounced.
Polish lenders, who now had access to many Soviet author- ties with whom ther were working and who were helping them form their Army. were conscious on numerous occa- sions of embarrassment on the part of the Russian officials, but no news of the whereabouts of the the 14.500 occupants of three camps was ever forthcom- ing, and no survivor ever ap peared. This naturally led to suspicion and friction between the Polish and the Soviet Gov- eraments.
Stan that after
ernment
I said I thought the Poles had to make or lend been unwise themselves to such
accounts, but that I earnestly honed a blunder of this kind would not entail a breach in their relations
the Soviets. I drafted with telegram to Stalin in this sense.
uf
procesa
avolded, and the crime Katyn
never was
detail.
American column
Divorce, no
crime,
says judge
From NEWELL ROGERS
NEW YORK.
stop
of | @HOULD judges probed in punishing the guilty
1
did
party in a divorce? Does such punishment help to break up homes?
The Soviet Government
take the opportunity of not
Yes, sald Judge Paul Alexan- clearing themselves of the hor
And he has been rible and widely believed accu-tier tonight, nation against them and of Divorce Court judge in Toledo, fastening the guilt conclusively Ohio, for 14 years. upon the German Government, He believes that the present some of whose principal figures marriage and diverce laws con-
in the dock on trial for tribute to family instability, were
"Take divorce out of the their lives. In the anal judg- ment of the International Tri- present, nearly criminal court," be said. "Let the judge decide bunal at Nuremberg Kalyn is
what is the real trouble, Let not mentioned in the section him find out what can be done! dealing with the treatment of to help. prisoners of war by Nazi Ger-
many,
Everyone is therefore entitled
"He should not be heavy- handed, ponderous, Judgmental, but sympathetic, understand- ing, and therapeutic."
Judge Alexander admila that
to form his own opinion, and some judges may flinch from there is certainly no Lack of becoming doctors of heart- material in the many books that che instead have been published by
the
heart-break.
of Judges of
Polish leaders still in exile from Не urged a go-slow on At Nuremberg their country, and in particular divorces for couples married
those writen by Mr Miko-
less than three years. lajczyk, the former Polish Prime
GROCER John Blair took Minister, who joined the frat
orders from farmers mowbound Polish Government after
outside Washington, Ohio. Then war, and by General Anders,
he shovelled the snow from his smoll runway, took off in his
In the trials of Nuremberg for war murder of the Poles was mentioned in the
ment of Goering The
011
Stalin, from April 12, was more friendly than usual.
"The speedy development
The evidence
in
Gen.
The war rolled on. The Cer- of the Anglo-American ad- mans deld the territory
the camp had stood. vance in Tunis constitutes which
Nearly another year passed an important success in the ly
1943. April In war against Hitler and Sikorski [the Falish leader] Mussolini. I wish you to kill came to luncheon at No 10. He the enemy and capture as told me that he had proofs that Soviet Government had
the many prisoners and trophies the
murdered
15,000 Polish as possible.
offsets and other prisoners in their hands, and that they had. been buried in vast graves in that you th
forests, mainly
around are not giving respite to ler.
Katyn. Ile had To your strong and successfu!
"We are delighted
bombing of the big German evidence.
rities we add now our air raids on the German
a wealth
of
dead, industrial cen- I said, "If they are
do will bring of East Prussia. Many nothing you can
He said he could thanks for the film depleting then back."
that the results of the bombing of not hold his people, and
already rchased all Essen. This film, as well as all they had
their news to the Press. the other in which yull promise to send, will be widely shown to our Army and pop- lation.
to
Without informing the British Government of its intention, the Polish Cabinet in London issued a communique on April 17 staling that an approach had been made to the International in Switzerland 10 Red Cross
delegation to Katyn to send
the spot. conduct an inquiry on On April 20 the Polish Ambas- sador in Russia was instructed
of the Russians "Our people highly appreciate by his Government to ask for
the comments
The contemplated deliveries the cancelled uf fighters from convoys are of great value us. I am also very grateful for your offer to send us 60 Hurri
armed with 40 mm. canes Cannon.
the warm feelings and sym-
pathy of the British people upon the Germans story.
which have found expression in the creation of the Aid Russia Fund mentioned by you. Please convey to your wife, who is at the head of the Fund, my thanks for her untiring activi- lies in this sphere."
A breach
A breach now
German report
On April 13 the German wire- less publicly charged the Sovieti Government with the murder; of the 14,500 Poles in the three und proposed to hold camps,
an international inquiry on the We cannot spot into their fate. wonder that the Polish Govern-
M. Maisky proceeded to argue the falsity of the accusation, and guve various reasons to prove the physical impossibility of the
Germans at crimes the at Katyn Indict- and others, who laid the White Book of the before Investigation German the court. It was decided by the Governments con- victorious cerned that the issue should be
the
World Copyright reserved. Repro-light plane and delivered the duction. even partially, in аты language. strictly prohibited.
goods by air-drop.
tre being
MORE TOMORROW
The author of these memoirs (centre), bemedalled and with the famous.
cigar in his land,
seen with Mrs Churchil and Feld Marshal Viscount Montgomery at the stlh Alamein reunion in London this year.
occurred be ment was attracted by this plan, at
Sitting on
Fence.... by
was like morning
Christmas
in the Sea
Nest. The family
sat
breakfast, munching
tween the Soviet Government but the International Red Cross Webb sausages. The post- and the Polish Government in
announced from Geneva that exile in London. After the over-th
man had delivered the let- they could not undertake any
running of Poland by the inquiry into the German alleters. Your Uncle Nat, open- German and Russian armies, cations unless a corresponding ing one bill after another, following the Ribbentrop-invitation to do so was received
was gradually losing his Molotov agreement of Septem-
thousands of from the Soviet Government.
appetite.
ber, 1939, many Potes had given themselves up
with whom The Germans, therefore, con- to the Russians, Poland
was not at war, and ducted their own investigations were interned. By further Nazi- Suvict agreements many of these were handed over to the Germans for forced labour purposes.
been
Then he opened the last en- pretty velope and out fell a pink cheque.
"Who's that from?" a chorus
NATHANIEL GUBBINS
Christmas. No motto like:-
The Gas Board hopes you'll
have good cheer.
No fuel cuts' in the glad New
Year.
One foot with my eyes shut and my arms outstretched. If I try it now I fall over. Do you think I'm too old for this now, doctor?
Not at all. Try
Dalo
LONDON advertised in New York news- und papers. For five guineas
up a week, American tourists are urged: "Enjoy your own home while in
in England." DOWNHEARTED? Do the war headlines look bad? A new volume of Franklin Roosevelt's personal fellers has appeared on the bookstalls. One set- lence: "What a privilege it is 10 be alive in this particular day and age!" F.D.R. wrote it in 1942, the darkest the last wor.
year
הם
SECRET AGENTS have dis- covered that Communists Bre
Instructions smuggling sabotage into America in sordine tins. The Instructions are further disguised by being con-
cealed between the covers of u pamphlet entitled "Official Foot- ball
And the agents Rules." are mystified by the fact that they are printed in Spanish.
MILK
has gone down about a half-penny & quart today; coffee up from 4d. to 8d, a cup. And the Government's cost-of- living Index has gone up, too to an al-time high of 174.8. prices in 1935-1939 being the 100 level. For more than 600,000 motor-car workers this means d. an hour more.
SACKED in Hollywood: the bank president who lent £12,- 500 to gangster Mickey Cohen. The loan was out of banker's own pocket.
the
the
on our feet to address our fel-
low creatures, an
Herbert
American,
V Prochnow, has written "The Toast-master's Handbook."
"If you want a sure Are story
to start your speech," says the blurb, "turn to Chapter 0 and choose one of the witty unec- dotes given there. For a jew well-chosen words to introduce
a guest speaker read Chapter 4. If you have to make a time-
furn to hopping ly response
Chapter
But it was the beginning of down the stairs that way. This 5." what may prove to be a beauti- should end your troubles once ful friendship and gave a chance and for all. A to reply in a seasonal spirit:--- note
Dear Gas Board may your days
be long
girlish voices asked. "How much is it for7" harder, more practient could be heard in the voices this time.
and a committee of experts, drawn from the countries under German influence, produced a
report claiming that of 10,000 bodies had found
in mass graves, and that the evidence of documents As prisoners of officer status found on them and the age of camot, under the Geneva Con- the trees planted over the graves
treated, the
that the executions vention, Soviets had in their hands 14,500 showed
dated back to the spring of 1940. Poles of whom 8,000 were officers when the area was under Soviet of the Polish Army, who were interned in three camps in the control.
be
Smolensk regions.
cluded
These in-
a considerable propor- professors,
tion of Polish intelligentsia, in-
cluding university
engineers and leading citizens
who had been mobilised
Pollsh reservists.
09
No record
through
Your Uncle Nat's volee, thick with toast and emotion, rang
the room liko muffled gong in a fog.
was
The cheque was passed from
Eventually in September 1943, the region of Katyn
vecupled by the Russians. Alter
Can you help me, doc- tor? Soon after eating food I feel as if I had swallowed a balloon.
And If you want to make an even bigger fool of the tren- bling creature who has sought | this easy way out of his dim- culties, cach member of his audience should be made .to read the book in advance and Maybe you have. A man once be supplied with a copy of it) swallowed a toy balloon he at the dinner. was blowing up for a children's drank English party. Every time he
Your Christmas
Merry
gay
and
"Me Chairman and
gentle-
"It's a present from The Gas With port type bottles at your
board Loard."
And Olde Worlde
slierrit.
soda water he became airborne May Mrs Gas and Uncle Gas and loated to the ceiling. In-
stead o
of whining about it no And all the little Gases
began a new career as a party men," the speaker begins, "by
would and entertainer
have way of introducing Enjoy their dins looked out lived happily ever after if he tonight I feel I can do nothing
of tins
hadn't exploded in a dentist's better than..........”
pas. And puds made for the masses, chair after a whiff of fur
Avold dentists and try to look on the bright side.
☆☆
the recapture of Smolensie a hand to hond. Although it pro- Until the spring of 1940 there committee composed exclusively mised to pay N. Gubbins had been intermittent news of of Russians was appointed
to more than £2 49. 84.
ΠΟ
the existence of these prisoners. Inquire into the fate of the coats were discussed on the From April 1940, silence
Polos of Katyn. Their report spot. A weekend in Paris was Are you fit? scended upon the three camps, saued in
January, claima
1044, trace of Not a single sign or
evacuated in time, owing to the their occupants ever appeared that the three camps were not planned to the last detall. for 13 or 14 months. They were onl
rapidity of the German advance, certainly in Soviet
power, but
and that the Polish
prisoners with no letter, message, escapes, or fell into German hands
and scrap of information ever came
later slaughtered, from them.
Became allies
When Hitler surprised
were
Цель
K GUBBINS answers below DR Your Uncle was so overcome
some questions asked by amazement tkat he some of his unhealthy readers neglected his Webb sausage wondering if they are it to face by till it grew cold. This sort of the winter.
thing had nover happened to Mr um before, except when Bloodsucker,
the
income-tax
This verston Iraplles that inspector, sent him a cheque nearly 15,000 Pollsh officers and for repayment of overcharges men, of whom there was no Tone November, and followed it cord since the spring of 1040; with another letter on Christ- the passed into German hands in
As a fat man aged 50, do you think I should be able to run up two flights of stairs, without blowing Uke a whale?
If you can't do this without
Russians by his invasion on July 1941, and were later dog man morning maying it was all blowing like a whalo, walk up.
*
At one time I kept my- acif healthy with a simple morning exercise. I used to bend forward with knees stiff, look between my legs at my wife in bed, and o' the mom- shout, "Top ing" twenty or thirty times. If I do it now I get pains in the head and back and feel dizzy. What do you advise? Sco a paychiatrist at once. If you still blow when you Or, better stiil, try your exer walk up, move into a bunga- cise on the roof-edge of a high low. If you still find it din building with a gale blowing. cult to breathe or move freely One day your wife will thank out of a bungalow me for this advice. Although the. Jetter
enclosed in and
don't send for a doctor. Sand with the cheque WOO not decorated with holly leaves,
for a carpenter. When we consider the post-it was friendly and sincere, and given bilities for escape which the saying it was a pleasure to re- high commands in the Polish confusion entlood by the German fund a deposit with interest to forces, which the Soviets were advance and the overtual with date. No wishing you a Happy
June 20, 1041, the relations be troyed by the Germans without
tween Russia and Poland
Land one single person escaping and changed overnight. They be- came hilles, Gen. Andors and reporting, either to the Russian other Polish generals, who had authorities or to a Polish Consul in Russia or to the Underground: hitherto been confined under Movement in Poland. rigorous conditions, including beatings, in Russian prisons, were now washed, clothed, re- lenned, welcomed,
a mistake.
*
·
Mr. Chairman...
"
our guest
"Turn to Chapter 4" shout! the audience, nelsily turning the pages of their books.
"When I was in a slmllar position," the red-faced speaker continues, "that is to say, when I was a guest and had to make a timely response....".
"You turned to Chapter 5"
to
"But as I am not a good speaker, and do not wish bore you any longer, I think 1 will end with on amusing story, or at any rate, it amused me when...."
ter 6"
"When you read it in Chap- chants the audience, Hand- of The Toastmaster's book by Herbert V. Prochnow, which contains 400 epigrams,
400 anecdotes, 1,000 quelacions
and 100 funny stories, price
Up to the are of 73's help people like myself, 328, port paid, or 328, Gd. cash
could balance myself... on
whose minds become n „blank_the_myment wo... afanıd
on delivery",
„(kondon Bagryan Bervice)
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