, 1920-07-29
Entente Allies Discover They
Must Defend Poland Against
Russian BoIsheviki.
EAST PRUSSIA THREATENED
King FeisaI Of Syria Yields to French
-orys Nominate Watkins-Hard-
ing Is Notified and Cox Declares
for Wilson's League Pol
icy-Rail Workers OF.
fered Wage In
crease.
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARp.

International attention was center
ed during the week on the Russo-Po-
lish situation. In which the diplomats
found plenty to disturb their equa-
nimity. In the first place, the Moscow
government, replying to the British
note asking II 1t would arrange an
armistice with Poland. rejected in sub
stance the British proposals. The
Reds declined to go to London for any
peace conference. holding that Great
Britain is not impartial, and, In Ian
guage SO sarcastic hat 1t hurt the feel
ings of the English statesmen. made
1t clear that they could deal with Po-
land direct. Their next move was to
send a wireless message to Warsaw
expressing regret hat Poland had
seen fit to deal through the allies and
suggesting that conversations on
peace be conducted between the two
governments without consulting or
considering outsiders. So far as is
known at this writing. the Poles have
not replied definitely to this Invitation,
but a London report said they had
been told to apply for an armIstice
in order to test the sincerity Of Mos
COW.
Meanwhile. the soviet forces opened
q general attack all along the line
from the Roumanlan border to the
Pripet marshes, and though at first
the Poles repuised them In most
places. at one point they broke across
the border and were fighting on Po-
lish soil. North Of the Pripet the
Reds moved rapidly and took Grod-
no. Their evident objective was War
saw. and the civilians Of that city were
preparing to take flight, some already
having left. American relief organ
izations were ready to quit the city.
and the Red Cross was shifting part
Of Its headquarters to Cracow.
In their advance through Lithuanian
territory the bolsheviki seem to be
threatening an invasion of East Prus-
STA. and the German government is
preparing to defend that region des-
perately. Fifty thousand OF the best
relchswehr troops have been modified
and Berlin feels confident they can
prevent an invasion IL they IN be
maintained lear the border. The dam
ger. however. Is that as the soviet
army draws near the bolshevik ele-
ments, in other parts of Germany may
break out and cause a scattering of
those defense troops and leave open
to the Russiansa the way into East
Prussia. No doubt Germany Will take
advantage Of the conditions to ask
leave to mobilize more of her regular
troops, and also 1t Is likely the threat
Of invasion will bring to light vast
stores of concealed arms. including
artillery.
Early In the week Ignace Paderew-
ski was made Polish plenipotentiary
to Paris and his retur to power was
taken as evidence that the Poles were
willing to make peace with the Rus
SLAMS direct. The Observation-Disclosures
was expected to placate Lloyd George
and Millerand. Pilsudsky. Polish
chief Of state. had refused to with
draw his armies to the lines specified
by Lloyd George. insisting that nation
al safety required the holding Of the
line Of Baranowitz-P insk- Dubno.
As a result OF the Spa conference
Great Britain and France are pledged
to support Poland against Russian ag-
gressjon, and they intend to give this
support In the form OF arms and mu-
nitions; men also will be supplied II
this is considered necessary by British
and French missions that have just
been sent to Warsaw. But the British