The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-29
POland's Ambition.

hood, the open and unqualified sup
port and approval of the chief repre-
sentatives Of the Allied nations Pres
ident WILSON very early declared that
"nn independent Polish state should
he erected which should include the
territories inhabited by indlsputably
Polish populations" Premier Gle
MENCEAU and Premier LLOYD GEORGE
were equally definite In their state
ments Of belief In a reconstructed
Poland that should be not small
buffer state but a strong Power
built upon the broadest ties Of ma"
tionality. To these Is added the dec.
laration Of the interallied council of
Versailles that "the erection Of a
united and Independent Polish state,
with free access to the sea, consti-
tutes one Of the conditions of a solid
and just pen0 and Of the rule of
right in Europe"
With this in mind the Polish
Provisional Government has Just
taken steps at a meeting in Warsaw
for the defence of the borderland and
a more definite marking of the Polish
frontiers. The Government has IN
dertaken to halt the advance of Boil
shevism not only as a means Of Sc
curing order and peace within its
own state. but rs offering bulwark
against the spread Of BOlshevism from
Moscow into western Europe. In this
effort 1t has opposed the machina-
tons Of the German military COM
manders In the Baltic provinces who
have endeavored to aid the elements
Of disorder by furnishing them arms
and by turning over to them fortified
positions In territory adjacent to the
Polish provinces. So far the Poles
have succeeded to a great extent in
checking these disturbing forces at
their own border.
The Polish state which the Allied
success promises is materially DIFF
ferent state from the indefinite reha-
Utilization of the intended Polish king
dom outlined by the Central Powers
as means OF securing the support of
the Poles to their cause. This scheme
included practically none of the Polish
territory in Germany and only small
portion of Austrian Gallc!a; its aim
was the establishment of a weak vas
sal state and 1t made no provisions
for an access to the sea. The plan
failed Of support by the Poles and
caused the first serious break between
Austria and Germany.
In opposition to this Teutonic plan
of absolutism has been the clearly
stated positions Of the Allies. Pre-.
mier CLEMENCEAU said, THE estab.
lishment of Poland has been definitely
decided upon, but she must be power
full, and therefore must regain all Of
the territory taken from her by Prus-
STA. Austria and Russia" Premier
LLOYD GEORGE declared that, ave be-
lie~e that an Independents Poland, COM
prising all the genuinely Polish ele-
ments who desire to form part Of It..
is an urgent necessity for the stabil-
ity of western Europe"
The territorial claims of the new
Polish state have not yet been set
forth in metes and bounds; but 1t Is
expressed in the desire for the gath
ering into one nation Of all the Polish
people In the territory that was taken
from ancient Poland by Russia, Prus-
da and Austria. This claim would
naturally include the present Galicia.
In the eastern portion of this province
the interests Of the Poles conflict
with the interests of the Ukrainians
The Poles likewise demand the return
Of the province Of Cholm, which the
Germans included by the terms Of the
Brest-Litovsk treaty In the new
Ukraine. This Polish claim would
also embrace the German prov
ince of Posen and portions Of East
Prussia. Within this territory would
lie Danzic, which the Poles desire as
ia seaport. Further north on the
Baltic Sea coast Is Libau, which many
Poles consider would be a natural
port of their new state.
There will be comparatively little
conflict of claims in western Galicia
German Austria has practically con-
coded the right Of the Poles to era
COW, their ancient capital, and also
to much of the neighboring Galician
territory. The Prussians will en-
deavor to retain their hold on the
eastern provinces despite the strenu-
Gus opposition Of the Polish inhabi-
tants, whom they have sorely op-
pressed. Again, the Prusslans will
bitterly contest the Polish right to
panzig. for this port has given to the
Germans Il control in the Baltic which
they have long endeavored to increase
and strengthen ut the expense of Rus
sia and the Scandinavian countries.
Libau is in COurland and Is claimed
by others of the Baltic races as a pos
sible seaport for new state. To
give Danzlg to Poland, 1t is declared,
the ALLIES would be forced to separate