The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-23
Warsaw Council of Defense
Sends MOscOw>Armistice Plea.
@
Allies Plan to Act on Hearing
Soviet Refusal.
GERMANS ARE OBDURATE
Refuse Permission for Entente
Troops to Pass Thru.
Send ReichsWehr Forces to Meet
Threatened Invasion.

Warsaw. July 23.-The Polish coun-
ell of defense has sent a request to
Moscow for an armistice along the
lines suggested by the allies, it was Of
ficially announced today.
After these proposals had been de
spatched by wireless at ? o'clock by
the national council of defense. a new
coalition cabinet was formed under
the premiership of NJ. Witos.
The new cabinet has the support
of the socialist party. NJ Datzensk1,
the head of the socialist organization,
is the vice premier. Aside from the
two changes the cabinet remains the
same
Line Is Broken.
The direct negotiations begun with
the soviet are on the question OF an
immediate armistice along the entire
front of about 720 miles. The prOpo-
sails were WirelesSed after failure to
reach any definite conclusion in deal
ings with NJ. TchitCherin. the BOlshe-
Wiki foreign minister. thru Premier
Lloyd George of Great Britain The
proposals were signed by Prince Eu-
gene Sapieha, the minister OF foreign
affairs.
The Polish line today still ran to
the east of Grodno. it is announced
in the official communique. The Pol
ish front was holding Immediately
south of the Pripet and in Polesia but
further south breach in the line eff
fected by Bolsheviki cavalry is re
ported.
Expect Reply by Friday.
The Polish message was short and
to the point. There was some delay
in dispatching it. owing chiefly to
bitches in the orgs snization of
coalition cabinet. with the peasant
party leader Witos premier.
1-.f- 1
Premier Grabskfs cabinet had been
considering the question since Wednes-
day night, and it was known that il NJ.
Witos and Mr.. Datzenski came into
power their initial step would be for
an armistice. 1t was decided that
further delays would be serious owing
10 the situation beyond Bialystok. A
reply is expected by Friday night.
Reds Take Towns.
London, July 23.-Capture by soviet
troops of the fortress of Dubno, one
OF the Volhynian group of fortifica-
tions defending the southern Polish
border, is announced in Thursdays
official statement from Moscow re-
ceived by wireless today.
The Bolsheviki also have taken the
railway town of Slonim, 20 miles
southeast of Grodno and 25 miles west
of Baranovitchi. The statement
reads:
In the direction of Volkovitz our
advance is continuing successfully
along both banks of the Niemen.
'On Tuesday we captured Slonim,
inflicung severe losses upon tfe
enemy. North and south of Barono
vitchi station we captured several
trains with locomotives and an armor-
ed train
"Our troops drove the Poles from
Dubno and developing our success we
engaged the enemy, to 16 miles
southwest of Dubno."
Poland Hard Pressed.
The Polish outlook appears increas-
ingly menacing to commentators in
this mornings newspapers. Poland
not only els extremely hard pressed
by the Bolsheviki armies, they say, but
her territory is already invaded. One
OF the papers prints news purported to
have been received by the British
foreign office which says the Bolshe-
Wiki right wing has occupied Seiny
northwest of Grodno, and about thirty
miles from the nearest point on the
German frontier. The BolsheVikf cap
ture of GrodnO is confirmed and the
reds are also reported 10 have taken
Bielostok, 11O miles from Warsaw.
while in the south they have entered
eastern Galicia.
GrabskI Cabinet Quits.
The ministry of Premier Grabski
is reported to have resigned, with the
administration entrusted to extreme
radicals via the idea, it is said, that
such Il government would be better
able to make terms with the invaders
It is stated that preparations are being
made for the evacuation of Warsaw.
Emphasis is laid on the danger to
the peace of all Europe by most of
the newspapers and the anti-Bolsheviki
papers see in the soviet army's ad-
vance a determination to destroy Po-
land. Another fear expressed is that
if the Bolsheviki victoriously reacn
the eastern frontier of Germany, a
Spartacist or mOnarchist uprising
would be inevitable either of which.
they said. would be equally fatal to
the reconstruction of Europe
Fear German Stand
distrustful of the Germans foresee
that the military party of Germany
not only would find in such a case
an excuse for further delaying reduc-
uon Of the reichswehr and disband-
ment of the civil guard, but would
secure direct line of communication
with Russia and make itself master
of the Bolsheviki organization and
Russia herself.
If this plan is carried out" says
the Daily Mail. Russia would become
German colony and all her vast
wealth and manpower would be al
Germany's disposal. The allies would
have lost the peace after winning the
war"
The Daily News which is not un-
friendly to the Bolsheviki SAYS the
seriousness is not less because of the
TACT that eastern Germany is full oil
arms and ammunition dumps to be
surrendered to the allies. These final.