The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-05-16
POLAND AND THE UKRAINE THOUGHT
 KEYS TO RUSSIA

Vienna, May 1s.---(Correspondence of The Associated Press. )---That Poland and the Ukraine are the keys to Rus sia is the conviction of The Associated Press correspondent who has just travelled over those two countries and interviewed dozens of the highest of ficers, officials and citizens.
 There has been more talk than ac-, Sfon concerning Poland as 8 barrie- to Bolshevism but there has been not only no talk but some unfavorable action regarding the Ukraine, which country apparently is almost un- known to a majority of the people In the Entente countries. The Uk- raine has been visited in a casual manner by strolling officers and mis- sions. A single American officer who attempted to visit Kiev, capital of the Russian Ukraine, was prevent ed by the French at Odessa, accord ing to the statement made to The Associated Press by General Petlura at his railway car capital g. sid ing a Proskurov.
 There is plenty of food in the Uk- raine but Bolshevism obtained the upper hand there owing to of money from Moscow, agitation and the buying of troops which other
 
 is now important is that it should be understood that there really Is a na- tiona1 movement in the Ukraine and that this movement with little help, Allied recognition and moral support, would manfully continue the strug gle against the Moscow invaders and aid in preventing the invasion of Ru- mania, thus closing the Bolshevik corridor to Budapest.
 The pathetic part of the whole business is that the Poles and others who it is felt here should be coop erating with the Ukrainians spend their time in describing the Ukrain- ians as led by a group of adventurers, particularly with regard to the Uk- rainian claim to the oil fields of Ga licia. The version. told to The Asso- ciated Press correspondent by an American oil man who has spent 25 years in these countries is that the Polish refinery owners, backed up by Austrian capital, first attempted to seize the oil fields and this led up to an attempt by the West Ukrainians or Ruthenians to hold these fields and to take Lem berg.
 The Associated Press correspon- dent apparently was the first person from the outside to visit the Ukraine seeking unbiased information. The people who occupy what they term West Ukraine, the old East Austrian Galician province. certainly are not led by adventurers. For the most part they are poor which is possibly | due to lack of enterprise in the for mer Russian Empire. They are also un1ettered. They would be far poor | CT if the oil fields were lost to them. | But they have the spirit of their race 1 and desire to be their own masters | like the Poles and the Czechs. The | latter have understood this fact. ! Neither are the people of Russian or | Greater Ukraine political adventur- l CTS. They are related by race wttb | those of the old Eastern Galicia at | least as far eastward as Po1tava. As | soon as the correspondent passed from Lemberg into Ukranian army it l was apparent that these men were q ! different race from the Poles; possi- | bly, less cultured but vigorous, l healthy-minded men determined to 1 hold their soil. As the correspon- l dent went eastward he found more 1 Russian types and manners but | many of the people of the Greater | Russia as daylight is from darkness. l Ukraine are os different from those of Greater Russia Daylight is from dorkness.