, 1919-01-09
Poles Fighting the Germans on
the West and the Advancing
BolSheviki on East.
CALL ON ALLIES FOR HELP
lenine's Forces Meet Disastrous De-
feat at Perm, but Capture ufa-
President Wilson Visits Rome
Secretary Daniels Pro-
gram for the Greatest
Navy.
BY EDWARD W. PIcKARp.

So far as fighting is concerned. the
absorbing news is coming from Poland
just now. The Poles. having enthusi-
astically welcomed the head of their
new republic, Ignace Jan Paderewski,
the famous musician. are following his
lead against the Germans on the one
side and the Russian bolsheviki on the
other. They are determined to add to
their state the province of Posen. DAN
zig and other parts of Prussia, and the
government at Berlin is equally deter
mined that they shall not lay hands on
Germau territory. The result is a
series of conflicts, with varying re-
suits. AS this is written a report comes
that a Polish rmy of 10000 men is
marching on Berlin and that Gustav
Noske, member of the Ebert cabinet
in charge of military affairs. has or
dered the Fifth German division to adj
n to meet the Poles.
The Die entered Frankfort on the
Oder, 80 miles east of Berlin, and also
Beuthen in Prussian Silesia, and
Bromberg. in the province of Posen. In
the city of Posen the Poles occupied
the fortress, disarming 10000 German
soldiers, and Ii fighting there has
been almost continuous. Many Jews
r said to have been slain.
III
The German authorities admit the
Polish question is serious and thai 1t
will be difficult to prevent the estab-
lishment of a free Poland. The Poles
are masters of most of the towns and
ave cut all means of communication.
1t Is on their eastern borders that the
Poles are having the worst time. There
they are contending not only against
the bOlshevik armies In their sweep
through Lithuania. but also against
the Ukrainians, who are %disputing with
the Poles the possession of the south
ern part of Lithuania. General PHI
sudtky commands a rather mail army
of loyal Poles, and General Halter,
who commanded the Poles In France.
has landed at Danzig with a body of
troops but they are a long way apart,
with hostile armies between them.
There is considerable demand that the
allies extend quick and strong aid to
the Poles, since the establishment of
Poland as n buffer state not only would
keep Germany from grabbing the Bal
tic provinces and eventually control
ling Russia. but also would deprive the
Germans of most of the coal deposits
on which they rely. The bolshevist
menace and the Industrial disorder in
Poland make 1t impossible for the
Poles to await the settlement of their
problem by the peace congress. say
their leaders. Most of their factories
were destroyed by the Germans and
the thousands of Poles now sent back
by Germany are clamoring for food
and employment and In some places
are taking the law into their own
hands and plundering their former EN-
ploye's.
Lately the bolshevlkl have both lost
and won in eastern RUSSIA. Their
chief loss was at Perm. in the Urals.
which was captured by General Galda
at the head of Cze~cho-Slovak and ST.
berlan forces. The bolshevik Third
army was virtually destroyed and Nix
olaf Lenlne. the b~olshevlk premier.
who was directing operations from an
armored train. narrowly escaped cap
ture. Gaida completely surprised the
b%olshevlki and captured 31.000 men.
5000 railway cars 100 field guns. 900
machine guns and much other equip
ment. Ten regiments were annihilated
and the remainder of the enemy driven
across the Kama river.