New-York tribune., 1919-10-12

for France at the Rhine, she finds
herself less willing to stand with
France and Poland on the lower
Vistula or the upper Oder. She sees
with real anxiety and open protest
the development of a French Com
tinental policy which aims at pro.
tectlng those states, particularly that
Polish state called into existence by
the Treaty of Versailles, but forever
dependent upon outside aid for ex.
istence.
Eastern Problems
Cause Division
American liberals, taking color
from British, are echoing their
note with increasing insistence. Thew
are accusing France of militaristic
and imperialistic policies. But why?
Mainly because France is seeking
to guarantee the integrity of Poland.
of Polish state created under the
application of the v~ry principles en-
Enthusiastically affirmed by the liber-
ais of the world one year ago. Yet
1t was these same liberals who. in
defiance Of their principles, succeed
ed IN persuading Lloyd George to
use his influence to have the neck Of
the new Poland narrowed so that
there could be no question that Ger
many could encompass it with her
fingers. Poland was the plain prod
uct of their principles, but today
they renounce the conclusion which
followed inevitably upon their pre-
mises.
That we shall have war one dav
over Poland seems to me certain.
cannot conceive of aay powerful
nation-and Germany will be power
-consenting to the conditions
created in the Vistula Valley. That
France would be involved as the
protector of Poland, Britain as
fatally involved in the maintenance
of France, the United States if we
become the guarantor Of the Treaty
OF Versailles and a party to the
league of nations, is at least likely.
But what is the alternative-to turn
back to German tyranny 100000
- q ~, Drloc, 70 j
ton in favor of self-determination in
general and our peaceful pledge in
the matter of the Poles? In my
Judgment reconciliation, q peace
OF understanding, healing peace, is
possible between Germany and her
old foes, between Germany and
France, even on the basis Of French
possession Of Alsace-Lorraine and
the Sarre. provided France and
Great Britain will forsake the Poles
as both did a century ago at the
Congress of Vienna.
But this is just the sort of bar
gain which made the Congress Of
Vienna notorious and preserved the
Balkan disease until it poisoned the
whole system Of Europe. That it is
possible, that it is wellnigh inevi-
table if the United States clears
1ut of Europe and turns its back
upon the small nations for whose
existence it is in no small degree re-
5ponsible, must be patent. This is
The direction British policy is TAX
ing. This is the policy that is being
more and more forcibly urged upon
F rance by the British; this is the
policy which is more and more find
ing favor in many American quar-
ters. In this there is nothing new:
civilization has disputed over the
corpse of Poland on mary occa-
sions since the First Partition.
and many wars have at least been
postponed by a mutual participation
IN plundering of Poland but the
astonishing fact IS that in the end
the Polish question has reappeared.
However. the thing which seemed
worth emphasizing was the fact that
after a year it had become clear
that there could be no further hope
that Germany would accept the terms
of the Treaty Of Versailles save un-
der continuing pressure; that she was
bound in the end to seek by force to
amend these terms. not in the West
but in the East; that in the West
the victorious nations were now con-
fronted with the choice between
guard on the Nistula and
preserving the league of nations as
an alliance against Germany or re-
firing from Poland, surrendering it
to Germany and by this sacrifice
clearing the way for a healing
peace" with Germany.
Copyright. 1919. by the Mcclure News.