The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-07-26
MONDAY, JULY 26, 1920.
OVER IN POLAND.

COMPARATIVELY a few months ago
Americans reioiced in the reconstruction
of a Polish nation because it brought
back to political existence a people who
had been crushed and maltreated for
centuries by Russia and Germany. To
dav Poland is threatened with exter-
mination as the result of its attack on
the BoIshcvist forces of Russia, its in
vasion of Bolshevists territory having
proved a Iamcntable failure. The only
favorable feature is the fact the Boil
shcvists have consented to open nego-
tiations for an armistiee with the Poles,
granted it. too, at time when the Boil
shevist forces were rapidly driving the
Polish armies back into their country
Apparently, too, the Poles are unable to
resist an invasion of their country.
The Willingness of the Bolshevists to
negotiate peace under these conditions
tends to negative the views of Niko-
Iai Lenine, the Soviet premier, who at
the opening session of the Third inter
rationale last Monday boldly advocated
the consolidation of the Soviet forces
for a worldwide revolution. But there
is not very strong hope that Poland
will be bale to maintain itself as a
buffer state between Russia and Ger
many. neutral to each and hostile to
both. That was the idea of the allied
interests in recreating the independent
nation of Poland There is question
whether the allies now will allow Po-
land to negotiate peace upon It's own
terms or whether they will insist upon
it's trying to maintain itself as a bar
rier to the advance of Bolshevism to
the west. The allies and even Germany
would be glad to see Bolshevism eff
fectivelv stopped at the Polish border
but it is not evident Poland possesses
the power to check this world threaten
| ing movement.
| The weakness of Poland is shown by
NJ. Paderewski, former Polish premier,
in recent interview. He declares the
adventure into Ukraine to have been
a rash one sure to result in disaster but
the Polanders were so carried away
with their enthusiasm they would not
listen to advice against it. Perhaps
the real explanation of this foolish ven
! ture is the fact that Poland had an
army Of 100000 men it did not dare de-
mobolize because its industries were de-
stroved and it was without raw mater
ials with which to reconstruct industry
| padcrewski SAYS the country did not
dare send these men back to the cities
ia increase the great forces of unem
ployed and discomfort.
This military situation is only one OF
Poland's problems, he says. POLAND
has sixteen political parties whose lead
crs cannot agree on anything. They
have been working year on consti
tuition and have not produced a single
paragraph, there is no Industrial sys
tenn. no legal code and no Polish cur
renew. There are five distinct codes
in effect in the country and ten differ
emf kinds of currency. 1t certainl!
Iooks-rather hopeless for a nation with
out constitution, without industry
without uniform law or currency ant
without sufficient military strength t
defend itself from the world s wors
enemies of established government. /
does not look as though Poland car
save itself and if the allies succeed II
establishing an independent and stabl