New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-26
L. S. Expects
Poles to Halt
AT Treaty Line
Washington Believes Reply
Will Contain Definite
Promise Not to Continue
Drive on Russian Soil
Colby issues Statement
Clears Up Misrepresentation
Messages to Rome and
Warsaw Went Together

From The 7ribuolc's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.-The Amer
lean note of warning to Poland against
proceeding beyond the ethnographical
lines Of its eastern frontier laid down
by the Supreme Council and written
into the Versailles treaty will be fully
adhered to by the Warsaw govern
ment, State Department officials be-
lieve.
When presented to the Warsaw For
eign Office by American Charge DAT
flares White it was received in a spirit
OF acqulescence, and this government
has been given to understand that
formal statement OF Poland's inten-
ton may soon be issued.
The forthcoming Polish declaration,
it is believed in official circles here,
Will definitely set forth that further
transgression of Russian territory Will
not not be authorized. unless required by
the most urgent military necessity.
Note Sent Last Saturday
Secretary of State Colby officially
disclosed to-day that the American
communication was dispatched last Sat
urday. Previously the department per
mitted the impression to go out that
the warning had been issued to the
Polish Foreign Office at the time
Charge White delivered copy of the
American note defining the Polish
Russian policy addressed to the Italian
government. In clearing up the misan-
prehenslon the following official state
ment was authorized BY Mr.. Colby to-
day:
1t was admitted at the State De-
partment to-day that a communica
tlon mad been sent to the Polish gov
eminent on August p, expressing
the nope that the Polish government
would find 1t agreeable to issue a
declaration Of its intention to alb
STAN from any territorial aggression
against Russia and stating its pur-
pose to remain within the bounda-
RES indicated by the peace confer-
ence pending an agreement as to its
eastern frontier"
In celebrating on the feeling enter
tanned here that Poland viii not resis+
the American demand, officials let it be
Anown that they were certain that
fo!ahd would not conduct any agrees
siVe campaign into territory beyon6
the peace pact line, and that the pres
ent successful military Operations If
the non Rolshevik forces would NOT he
converted into further eression If
RUSSIAN territory.
II was likewise admitted that France
mad knowledge Of the American warn
ing, and that Great Britain, as another
SlsNaVory TO the peace treaty, would. Of
course, adhere TO the provisions of tnaI
document as it affects the boundaries
OF the new Polish state.
Allied Nations in Accord
NO uheaslness IS entertained here at
the failure thus far of Great Rri+a;n
llaly and Japan to give expression of
.nelr views on the American position
me absence of replies from these ma
tons, 1t was explained, is not 20 be
construed as opposition to the Arneri-
can policy. On the contrary, Stata De-
partmcnt officials believe that the Al
iied governments were never nearer ac-
cord than at the present time on the
Polish~Russian situation In all its
phases.
WASHINGTON, Aug. % (Bv The As
soc!ayed Press although both the
Polsh and French governments are un
derstood TO have expressed doubt as 70
the precise limits of the "ethnograph-
lcal frontiers" of PolaMd6~ft was said
by officials here that the hating Of the
PoAsh armies upon a fixed line was
not so much matter open to question
by the American government as was the
conversion of the military operations
from defensive to an offensive char
acter.
1t was an attempt to guard against
this eventuality which moved the
United States to admonish Poland not
to lay herself open to possible future
criticism OF imperialistic motives, Of
In Polish official circles the same
liberal Interpretation was made OF the
American governments position, as it
was asserted that it would be suicidal
for the Polish armies to be checked
on the tentative ethnographical line
laid down by the Supreme Council I'M
TIL an armistice had been concluded
with the Bosheviki