The Washington herald., 1920-08-06
By FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Copyright. 1920. rv Public Ledger Col
Poland's hour of supreme crisis
is at hand. 1t finds the allied and
associated powers which brought
the new state into existence at their
wits end to know how to deal with
the grave emergency that has aris-
en-. Whether or how military aid
is to be rendered to the hard-press-
ed Poles is under discussion, but no
definite policy has as yet been
worked out. The position and in
tentions of the United States re
main wholly underlined.
The State Department comedies
that it is cropping more or lessN in
the dark. uncertain on the one hand
as to our status in the Anomalous"
situation that has come about, and
on the other as to how far the
United States can intervene effeC-
lively to help Poland without the
consent of a Congress which is
not in session.
Warsaw in Grave Danger.
Ofhcial advices received at the
State Department yesterday indi-
Gated that Warsaw must now be
considered in imminent danger. All
dispatches depicted the situation
as serious in the highest degree.
The governments represented at
the Polish capital have decided, in
case they abandon it, to remove to
Qraudenz. about 1870 miles to the
northwest The town was formerly
in Prussian Poland and lies some
81 - ri 10
Graudenz was obviously chosen as
the place of refuge because of its
accessibility to the Danzig cor
ridor" Through the corridor" al
lied military help for Poland. if any
is to be forthcoming. will be poured.
In the days of German military
power. Graudenz was strongly
protected fortress. Presumably it
will become the temporary seat of
the Polish government if Warsaw
falls. besides becoming an i'm
portant sally port for offensive
/ operations against the Bolsheyists.
[. :. Not Yet Committed.
The American government has
not yet committed itself to any line
| of offensive action on behalf OF Po-
/ land. Since the Red military men
.
tfons. the State Department has
merely intimated that the United
{ States could not stand idly by while
/ Leninc's Iegions tore up the Polish
/ frontier stakes which we, at Yer
sailles, helped to drive in.
1t may be that the confusion
which prevails Is more apparent
than real, Nothing would be gained
by advising the Red military and
political leaders in advance of plans
/ for their Undoing. Just as the al
lied powers of Europe six years ago
this very week were moving with
! all possible dispatch and stealth to
| thwart the thrust of a common foe
so. il was suggested in Washing
ton last night, behind-the
activities may be going on designed
to meet effectively a situation that
( on paper looks dubious in the eX-
| treme.
Look on Reds as Marauders.
One of the doubtings of the Unit
ed States government relates to our
reluctance to make war on any
| forces representative of the Russian
| people There is an inclination in
Washington to look upon the armies
that may tomorrow be battering at
the gates Of Warsaw as bands of
marauders-large and well-Organ-
I ICED bands-b1t marauders for all
that On the other hand, Washing
! ton is forced to recognize that an
army which consists perhaps of
/ 5000 or 5000 belligerents must en-
| Joy no inconsiderable popular and
national support.
cambridge Colby, Secretary of