The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-08-11
POLAND'S ATTACK
is UNJUSTIFIED
Disregarded Warnings of Allies-Iloyd
George Says Only independence of
Poland Can Be Asked

LONDON, Aug. H. Mr.. LLOYD
| George in his address before the house of
commons yesterday ON the Russian Po-
| lish crisis, declared the Polish attack was
not justified in the opinion of the Brit
| ish government and that the Soviet gov
eminent IN any conditions of peace was
| entitled to take into account the facts
of the attacks made by the Poles upon
| Russia and that those attacks were de
| livered despite the warnings of the al
| lies to Poland
The Soviet, he declared, was entitled to
| demand such guarantees as would be ex-
| acted by any power against a repetition
| Of attacks of that. kind. What was chal-
| lenged, he said, was that nothing iusti-
| fies retaliation, reprisal or punishment
which goes to the extent Of wiping out
national existence.
Apart altogether from the moral. right
Of any power to demand the extinction of
another nation as punishment for the
aggression of its government" Premier
| lloyd George said, Europe has to be
considered The independence of Poland
and its existence as an Independent ma.
! ton is an essential part of the structure
Of European peace Repartition of Po-
land woulG not merely be a crime: it
would be peril and we have to consider
both these contingencies as a basis for
orr policy
The premier declared that the sole pur-
pose of the allied policy was TO secure
peace on a basis of independence for eth
biographical Poland. He said the Hythe
conference agreed that the allies should
advise Poland to endeavor to negotiate
an armistice and make peace as long as
such independence was recognized That
recommendation has been forwarded to the
Soviet government, the premier stated.
He pointed ont that the allies suggested
70 the Soviet that they declare truce
Monday at midnight. but this was not ac-
cepted. in view of the Minsk meeting set
Tor Wednesday. He declared there had
been great and suspicious delays in com
ing to a discussion of an armistice He
could not imagine, the premier said, why
il there had been a real desire to have an
Eqrmstiee and negotiate peace, the Soviet
government wotIld not have fixed a date
at the latest a week or ten days ago for
the purpose.
The premier continued. eve are not
|. going to have a quarrel or propose to en-
gage this country in a dispute. whether
il means much or little, upon the differ
Fence between Monday or Wednesday, anG
I |
Continuing his outline of the decision,
reached at the Hythe conference Mr.
! LLOYD George said: IF they negotiate a,
agreement at Minsk we do not propos,
to intervene to upset any arrangement
which is acceptable to the Poles. II il
, their affair. / sincerely trust it will NEAR
, pence, but supposing it did not we hav,
, got to face that
r If the Minsk conference failed becaus,
/ the Poles refused to accept terms which
I tho Soviet was entitled 10 exact. having re
: gard TO the way in which the con1ic
: started and to the Polish military condi
! tion, then the allies could not supper
J Pgiand, the premier declared However
; if the Bolsheviki insisted upon term
f threatening the independence of Poland
then a different situation would arise
: Outlining the action the allies had de
eided to take, if necessary. the premie
I said no action would be taken except t,
; support the struggle for Poland's OK
: istence and independence No alliet
troops would be sent to Poland. he de
, clared 1t would not be necessary. h
said. if the Polish resources were thor
). 'ouohly organized and well directed
The next action. continued the premier
! would be to put economic pressure upon
Soviet Russia either bv naval action o
: international action. Substantial stores
he said, were available in that quarter o
] the world which the allies would fee
. obliged to send to Poland.
: | In England women were employed il