The Washington herald., 1919-10-19

not england better hint to France
mat IL France wants TO support the
Poles, she must support them slone2
Such q course might be hard on the
Poles. but the alternative Is another
ruinous war In which. our soldiers
might not be overanxious to fight"
And then the ever-present riddle Of
America comes up and until that Is
answered the British Polish policy is
not likely definitely to be settled.
Win America fight Germany II Ger
many seeks to wrest from the now
Poland the; corridor that shuts OF
East Prussia from Berlin. and that
part Of Sllesia which Poland gets
under the peace treaty. II tine an
swer were yes. Britain would proba-
bly, come into line. and support Po-
land. 1t would be felt that Germany
could not defy France. England, and
America But II America says no.
declines to agree to interfere In a
Polish war II seems more than doubt
ful whether Britain will fight In de-
Tense of settlement OF whose wis
dom she is becoming doubtful.
Poland has several times caused
European wars. There exists every
indication that the next storm CEN
ter will be the new Polish &c rman
frontier. II we refuse to fight on
that issue. and England follows our
lead as she probably will do.
would not care to insure the life
OF the resurrected State. France.
Impoverished and torn by political
dissension, can hardly commence
alone a crusade against Germany to
save the Poles.
II II be asked why the league of
nations would not interfere IL Ger
many tries TO win back her old pos
sessions In the east. the answer Is
thai there 10 no league of nations
without the United States. And
America has not yet decided wheth-
er to tie strings to her participation
in the league. In armed coercion
Of Germany the league. with Amer
lea a member. could count upon
America England and France. Italy
would probably stand aloof and so
would the war-torn new countries
to the east With America not .
member. the league could count
only on France. To put II more
accurately. with America the league
excepting as a debating society
would not exist.
The balance Of power in Europe
was always a delicate adjustment,
never more SO than now, when in
stead of a half dozen great powers
ten or twelve must be weighed and
calculated. So long as the tremen-
dous weight OF the United States
is held poised. to be placed in the
balance or not, as the Senate or
the American people decide! Europe
must remain in chaos. There can
be no balance of power when no.
body knows whether America will
tip up the scales or not
To apply this to the Polish situation.
II America insists upon amendments
and reservations that withdraws her
from active participation in European
affairs. Britain will probably inform
France that by mistakenly counting on
America the alliance has bitten on
more than 1t can chew. Britain will
offer to support France in the West,
but will suggest that German pressure
against Poland be not regarded as q
cause for another world war. II on
the other hand America joins without
reservations, and is prepared to fight
for Poland. England will acquiesce
and the treaty will be maintained, IL
necessary by force.
The Future of Turkey.
I is CduS-
ing the greatest possible embarrass-
ment in the Near East Peace has
not been made with Turkey; the
problem OF dividing the Ottoman En-
pire bristles with difficulties and with
conflicts of interest between Britain.
Italy and France that are increasing
as time passes and nothing is set
tied
Even though America is not at war
with Turkey. nothing can be done
with the Sick Man until America de-
cides whether she Is willing to under
take a mandate. perhaps over the
Dardanelles and certainly over Ar
menia. These issues do not exist in
the United States: I am aware that
nine Americans in ten have never
considered them.
But they are taken very seriously.
here. President Wilson. ] understand,
agreed before he left Paris to take
up the Armenian mandate with tho
people at home. He intimated that
he desired America to assume it, He
mas said nothing. because he wants
the treaty ratITied and out Of the
way before another controversy OF
the first magnitude is aroused.
Brltain's position on the Armenian
question is complex. For two gem
erations Armenian massacTeS have
narrowed British feelings, and there