Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-08
The Polish Offensive.
Nv Frank II. Slmonds.

stance in the present Polish offensive
against the Russians is found in the
presence of Ukrainians on the Polish side
against the Russians Is found IN the
presence of Ukrainians on the Polish side
of the firing line. Over many years the
Poles and Ukrainains have been separated
by rival ambitions and territorial dis
putes. While Gallcia was Austrian, the
Poles-that is the Austrian Poles-ruled
all of il, and their rule was bitterly re-
sented by Ukrainian minority, which is a
majority in Eastern Gallcia. When
Austria collapsed, the Ukrainians laid
claim to Eastern Galicia, including Lem
berg. besieged the town and carried on a
fair-sized war.
This was collapsed when the Ukrainians
were attacked in the rear by Denekines
army, which, with fatal consequences to
itself, neglected the Bolshevist enemy to
punish the Ukrainian separatlsts. DEM
kline, like Kolchak, was champion OF the
idea of Russian integrity and hostile to
all separatist movements, Polish, Lithu-
anian, Finnish and Lettish. With the col
lapse of the Ukranians, their leader,
Petlura, fled to Poland, Polish troops
occupied Eastern Galicia and the Supreme
Council awarded it to Poland under
complicated mandate system for period
of years.
But back of the Galician dispute was
the difference over the Province of Cholm
Originally part of Russian Poland, 1T was
separated fronit by Russian decree some
years ago A certain portion OF the popu-
lation are Ukranian and when the Ger
mans recognized the Ukraine at Brest-
Litovsk, they sought to foment the bitter
ness between the Poles and the Ukrainlans
by awarding Cholm to the Ukraine. When
Germany fell Cholm passed INTO Polish
hands and the Polish claim to 1T was
recognized by the Paris Conference.
It is fact of real significance, then, that
the Ukrainians and the Poles have sunk
old and recent grievances and struck
hands TO fight the Bolsheyists. But the
fight goes beyond BolShevlsm. what
Petlura is after is 10 create state wholly
independent OF Russia. such course
pleases both the Poles and the Ukranlans,
because it greatly reduced the peril lot
them, which Is transparently inherent IN
anv restoration of Russia as = great
power In accepting tkralnian assistance,
in furthering Ukrainian independence
Poland, Is then. acting with the instinct
for self preservation uppermost.
II is easv to believe that once victory ls
quarrel again. for their territories. that is
the regions having both Polish and Tx
rainian populations are inextrlcably COM
mingled and Poland present claim Of the
frontier of 1772, really includes most, Il
not all. of the Ukraine. To compromise
the differences will prove as difficult As
composing the disputes OF the Greeks,
Bulgarians and Serbs in Macedonia.
But it is rather to the Russian aspect
that public attention will turn now. So
far as one can perceive the Poles with
their allies have been uniformly successful
They NAV. moreover. 20 far IN Russia
The difficulties Of the armies of kolchak,
Denikine and Yudcnitch have not come
mainly from without but from within. II
has been the settled belief of military men
that with few really solid divisions
| Yudenitch might have got 10 PetroGrad
That the mass of the Russian people re-
gartied these military men as the repre-.
sentatlves az the old order, as the direct
/ agents Of Tzarism, largely explained then
failure
By contrast the Poles arc not interested
in the restoration Of Czarist Russia, nc
Pole has anv reason to love that old order
/ So far as Poland has Russian policy, that
policy must he one Of dividing Russia. a
far a. possible. to reduce the futur.
strength of potential enemy. Therefore
! Polish invasion will have different mean.
I inc for the Russians than did that q
/ Russian military men.
/ In the second place Poland has a rca
I arrnv. estimated at 700 900 trained mer
and not too badly equipped with tho
I engines Of war. II IS immcasurably su-
perior to Bolshevist armies. II has sornt
i officers Of real merit and il has derived
/ from the Western Allies very consider
able stock Of war material That the Bol
shevists can muster q force anything like
rs formidable seems Incredible.
Poland's real danger must come from
the west where the nations which ar'
/ eager TO get back to trading relations wIti
I the Russians Will hardly be pleased 70 sef
a new war breaking out in the cast o
Europe a sweeping Polish victory more
over. would mean an irresistible demand
| on the part of the Poles Tor Their frontiers
! OF 1872 that if for the line Of the Dnlepe.
River IN the east a. we'll Is Tor some sor
+ Of sovereignty over Lithuania.
/ The Peace Conference has fixed ME,
/ comfortable boundaries for Poland Ines.
| boundaries DO not IN the least corresponc
/ with Polish wishes, Polish traditions
& fOilsu flBALS- At bhis ltt35oAA tLstAA tAA'
+ might be accepted would be found II
! Polish weakness. But If Polish aTmie:
swect, the Russians out Of their pathway
+ and begin a march toward Moscow. theT
. there is an end Of the argument Of weak
ness. Poland viii no longer be a supplant
/ she can impose terms on Russia and Tie
I western nations may 60 hang
A Poland Of at least forty millions oi
people, that Is with IA state equal IN p0pu
/ lation TO France and exceeding Italy IN
area, Is thus by no means an impossible
| outcome Of the present situation. Nor Is
/ such Poland likely to look with resigna
! tion upon any new German effort to re
/ gain Posen and West Prussia or To retain
! Upper Silesla The Poles and the Ger
mans are hereditary enemies Nothing
can change this Therefore, Poland II she
/ can obtain security IN the cast, is hound
10 turn west again, % face her one inF
placabie enemy
All this falls in admirably with French
policy. France naturally welcomes the
rise of strong Poland on the western side
Of Germany, bound III the nature oi thing
10 be French ally, bound 10 have similar
policies so far as Germany is concerned
and certain to be an influential member oi
the new European concert, or dlscord, Is
the case may be Italy and England, on
t the contrary, do not favor Poland
although the Italian opposition is moi
nearly SO pronounced as the British
partly because they have other views in
the matter of Russia, partly because
neither would like 10 see France obtain e
useful and powerful partner.
In any event the Polish episode il ons