The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-08-06
london and Paris in Active
Diplomatic Exchanges Over
, Russian Menace.
GERMANY TO BE NEUTRAL
Bolshevik Trade Mission Un-
easy-British Already
Pushing Blockade. ~

lied Europe from being drawn Into
new war. Premier Lloyd George
Is expected to announce In the
house Of commons on Monday ac.
oeptance Of the conditions laid down
BY the soviet government In lts
note Of Thursday, and that the
proposed general peace conference
N the parley takes place Ger.
many and the Baltic states prob
ably viii be represented, II was
learned this afternoon.
There were active diplomatic ex-
changes between this city and Paris
during the day. II was understood
that Premier MllIerand Of France
had not yet accepted Premier Lloyd
Georges new altitude, but the
British premier Is hopeful that the
allies will act In complete agree
ment.
The sovlets' note is understood to
pledge Russia to enter into negotiations
FOR a general peace just as soon as Po-
land asks for peace in the Russo-Po-
lish theater.
The cabinet met in the Parliament
building today to consider the Russian
note. Premier Lloyd George presided,
The outstanding elements Of the
Russo Polish situation today were:
1. Orders have been given to the Brit
ish navy to reimpose a drastic block
ade on Russia, according to the Chron-
icle. The Daily Herald, organ Of the
labor party, states that the British
North sea fleet has already been or
dered to the Baltic.
g. The Russian drive on Warsaw has
slowed down. according to a news
agency dispatch from Warsaw, Which
said:
"The bolshevik offensive on the Bug
river has been arrested. The Russians
we're thrown back across the Sereth
e river. The new Polish army in the
field is waging a successful counter
offensive at the juNction OF the Bug
and Narew rivers, where the Russian
front lies nearest to the Polish cap-
ital."
3. The soviet government, in its re-
ply TO the British protest against the
continued advance in Poland, Is re-
British officials that Moscow cannot
check the red armies advance.
4. The German government has re-
iterated its policy of neutrality and
will not allow the allies to send troops
over German soil to Poland.
1.-The immediate effect of the Rus
sian note is to emphasize the impol-
tance OF a resumption of armistice ne
gotiations by the Poles" said the Daily
News. 1T seems certain tina the reds
will cease their advance the moment
the truce is signed, but otherwise they
will be in Warsaw within a weeks
time. 1t is believed that Polish del
egation has already. gone to Minsk to
treat with the Russians"
A1 Promise Neutrality.
The new declaration of Or. Walter
Sinons, German foreign secretary In
the national assembly. that Germany
Will maintain neutrality In the Russo
Polish war resulted from reports that
the French were reNconcentrating troops
IN the Strasbourg and Belforty Areas,
according to an Exchange Telegraph
dispatch from Berlin. DR.. Won SiInons
threatened r>the disarmament of the
French troops If they violate German
A special commission has been ap-
pointed at Berlin TO advise the govern
nent In eastern European affairs.
The attitude of the Germans In the
districts occupied by French, British
and American troops, oyer the possi-
hility of sending allied forces through
Germany to Poland is described as pas
sive.
At the headquarters OF the bolshevik
trade mission. headed by M. Krasstn
and NJ. Kemeneff, there were evidences
OF anxiety. but 1t was declared that
business was going on as usual"
Are you packing up to leave?" one
member of the mission was asked at
tbs BOND street office of the Russians.
I'VE are still here and we don't ex-
meet to 40 away" was the reply. I'VE
believe that the crisis will ultimately
be adjusted along the lines suggested
by Premier Lloyd George. But we are
N the dark regarding developments at
Moscow. 1t Is very difficult to get any |
word from Moscow"
SITUATION CRITICAL.
While the actual military sItua.
tlon In Poland is not much clearer |
than II was yesterday, II Ia admit.
ted to be critical. Reports, how.
ever, are In some respects so con.
tsadlctory that the precise degree
Of menace to Warsaw as a result
Of the recent boIshevlk advance
cannot be estimated.
~ Reports yesterday stated the soviet |
armies had reached points thirty miles
later advices indicate they are twice
that distance away and that the soviet
cavalry is far ahead of the infantry.
A Warsaw dispatch to the Daily Mail
states the Polish counter offensive on
the southern front has been successful
and that the bolsheviki have been
hurled back forty-five miles.
Most newspapers express great anxi- |
ETY. over the situation this morning,
and the statement by a high official
as grave as that in August, 1914, is
given great prominence. Reports that |
the British government has already or
dered the feet to resume the blockade
OF lNuSSld, which was partially relaxed
last November. caused great emphasis
in some journals but no official sane
ton is claimed for the statement, and |
such inquiries as were possible this
morning tended to doubt the rumor
It is said that notwithstanding. the
fact the cabinet has not yet considered
the reply OF the soviet government
relative to an armstice with Poland, Il
has been determined TO send the KAN
eneff -Krassin trade delegation back TO
Russia.
The text OF the soviet reply is known
TO have reached London, but az yet II
has not been made public by the for
eign Office. All of this mornings news
papers. however, print versions of IL
which coincide for the most part and
show the reply was worded moderately
and maintained the right of the soviet
armies to continue military operations
against Poland.
Willingness to sign an armistice
agreement when Polish delegates ar
rive at Minsk In said to have been ex-
pressed, and the soviet government. it1
is asserted, has declared its readiness
to grant Poland complete independence.
Moscow, however. has insisted upon
arranging the terms of peace by direct
negotiations between Poland and Rus
sia and participation by elements led
by Gen. Wrangel, as the Russian bor-
der states. has been refused. The re-
ply Is also said to contain a statement
that the terms Russia win present TO
Poland are already in the hands OF NJ
Eameneff and NJ Krassiu, heads Of the
holahevik trade commission now In
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