Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-13
preliminary PACT
SIGNED At RIGA BY
POLESAND REDS
"Peace Without Victory and
Without vanquished,"
Say Mr.. Joffe.


RIGA, October IA preliminary
peace treaty and armistice was signed
by the Polish and Russian soviet peace
delegates here at 7:1o o'clock tonight.
The armistice actually becomes eff
fective at midnight October 10; that
is, IA hours from midnight tonight.
The announcement that peace was
to be signed brought great crowds
to the square surrounding the Black
Head House. M Joffe and the boil
shevik delegation entered the hall
first and were followed by M. Domb-
ski and the Polish delegates. About
two hundred persons. Including the
entire diplomatic body and prom
inent Lettish officials, crowded the
small room, many Of them standing.
Considerable delay ensued. which
was due to the physical work I1eces-
sary for the completion Of the treaties
for signature. Tired by more than
five days and nights Of almost con-
slant work, NJ. Joffe looked extremely
pale. but his voice showed no nerv.
BUSINESS when he announced. without
rising. that the treaty had been COM
pleted and began reading the Rus
sian text. -,
Triumph for 1--WE Leaders.
The head Of the soviet delegation de-
scribed the Riga peace as "a peace
without victory and, without van
quished' in brief address before the
signature OF the treaty. Z That de-
as. it appeared to disipterested on
lockers. It was q peace Of give and
take. which those who have followed
the course of events Tear will not be
very popular with either the bolshe-
Wiki or the Poles.
But 1t is undoubtedly triumph for
the two chairmen who made it. and
the spirit Of Cancellation with which
they handled the explosive questions
that disrupted the Minsk conference is
likely to win for them the gratitude
Of q war-exhausted world.
[ The Riga armistice will put the boil
sheviki at peace with all their Baltic
neighbors within IA hours from mid
night tonight, and leave the Wrangel
movement as the only great military
operation against the soviets.
|" After NJ Joffe had finished reading
the Russian text. NJ. Dombski read the
Polish text. and M. Manuilski followed
with the reading Of the docume nt in
Ukrainian.
Smile ut Ukrainians. ~.
When M. Manuilski began, a smile
passed around the hall. as virtually
all the, Qei2y n2Q DSen &SCr1O$Q TO
the preparation of the Ukranian text,
and there has been much joking at
Riga on the subject Of whether there
really is a Ukranian language, no
dictionary or grammar having existed
until the Germans published then
after discovering the necessity of es-
tablishing the Ukrains as q separate
nation to upset the bolsheviki.
There was a general exchange of
Fluctuations, the head Of the respec-
tive delegations thanking the others
and the Letvians for the courtesies
extended. NJ. Dombski said he beiiev-
ed that permanent peace will grow
out of the preliminary peace terms.
which he expects to be ratified
promptly.
NJ. Joffe then opened the embossed
copies Of the treaty and. armistice
which lay on the table before him
and inscribed his signature. The Rus
slams signed first as M. Joffe was
chairman Of the day. holding the hon
or by virtue Of an agreement that
he and NJ. Dombski alternate in that
position.