New-York tribune., 1920-03-28

north was in cooperation with the Letta
! In the south the Poles advanced ilits
/ territory left open to the enemy by the
! collapse of Denikine's Russian army
| The forward movement of the Ukrain
ian front was under the agreement
made with the ukrainian patriot, Gen
eral Petlura. The object of these man.
euvers was to consolidate and strength.
en- the fianks of the Polish army, and
not to occupy territory.
Reasons for Polish Occupation
"The Poles give three main reasons
for temporarily occupying this territory
beyond their boundaries. They are:
"First-Some of the positions beyond
the eastern Polish borders were occu-
pied months before the peace confer
ence determined these borders. To
fall back now would mean giving up to
the Bolshevik not only military advan-
tages of position. but would give them
control OF lands now under cultivation
and factories that now are producing.
Inhabitants of these regions, among
whom more than 100000 are Poles,
would be left to the mercy Of the Boil
shevists.
"Second-Strategically there would be
two great objections to withdrawing
from the present lines. The railway
which parallels the front on the line
to Rovno, Sarny, Luninetz and Minsk
would be lost. This railway enables
the greatly outnumbered Polish army
rapidly to transport troops from vari-
Gus parts Of the line to threatened
points. Then. while the Poles do not
feel assured Of being able to withstand
mass onslaught in any permanent de-
fensivc line to which they might with
draw, on the present front they would
be able to maneuver in open warfare.
"Third Withdrawal would give up
to the Russian Soviet armies White
Ruthenia and the Ukraine, both inhab-
tied by people asserting nationalities
separate and distinct from Russia.
Disclaims Intent to Annex
"Poland has disclaimed all intention
of annexing or forcibly holding these
occupied territories after hostilities
against the Bolsheviki shall have end
ed. General Pilsudski, chief of the Po-
lish state. solemnly proclaimed the
right Of self-determination in these
provinces when the Polish armies first
entered.
"This was approved by the Polish
Diet, and by the whole nation. The
published in Warsaw on January a,
said:
"'It seems to be that in one respect
all Poles are unanimous; that we do
not wish to incorporate in the Polish
Republic a single district whose popu-
lation does not wish to belong to it,
"The regions now temporarily occu-
pied by Poland, and which formerly
were united with Poland for more than
500 years, and which have a very large
Polish population, are promised COM
plete freedom. Meantime, while the
emergency continues, they en-
JOY not only the protection afforded by
the Polish armies, but political free
dom as we'll, and food is assured them
by the Poles.
"The Polish army consists partly of
volunteers, supplemented by Haller's
force of about six divisions, formerly
in France, and completed by recent
drafts intended to bring it up to about
100000 men. Maintaining this force is
for Poland a supreme effort. With Boil
shevism as the alternative, the heavy
task is borne uhcomplatningly.
"Lack of sufficient standard weapons
and. munitions is one great handicap
of the Polish army. The training had
to be standardized under Polish gen.
eral staff system because the troops
had been trained in the several schools
of warfare of the nations in whose
armies they formerly served"