Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-18
CHAIN Of BUFFER
STATES|SPLANNED
PoIand's Demands for Old
Frontiers and Its Policies
Explained.
BY MICHAEL FARBMAN.
Cnblegram to The Star md the {
cagO Daily News. COpyriCht. 1872

CnbleEram to The Star md the Chi
cngo Daily News. Copyright, 1920.
RIGA, April Ill have just had an
interview with Maj. Boufall. the Po-
| lish minister to Latvia. In the course
| Of the last few days l have met Lat
Wan. Lithuanian. Ukrainian and White
Ruthenian diplomats. all of whom
were alarmed at what they called the
| Polish appetite" for territory. All Of
! them pointed out that the frontiers Of
| l112 would make all the border states
! except Finland and Esthonia Polish
dependencies. The Polish minister told
! the Lettish newspapers frankly that
| Latvia has no right to negotiate a
| separate peace with soviet Russia
| because the disputed territory of Lat
gala belonged to Poland and not to
| Russia. and could be given to Latvis
| only by Poland.
| Blames Reds for Peace Delay
| Everybody here feels that the Polish
| demands and Poland's treatment of
| neighboring states form the storm
! center of the entire eastern problem.
| Maj. Boufall has just arrived from
| Warsaw. He blames the bolsheviki
! alone for the delay in concluding
j peace. He said that their refusal to
| negotiate at Borissov and their de-
| mand for a general armistice along
! the entire front were simply tricks
| for the sole purpose of obstructlng
| peace. The Poles consider that 1t is
| their prerogative as the victors TO
| appoint the place for the negotiat tons.
Warsaw was impossible because OF
! the fear there of propaganda and
Petrograd also was Impossible Tor
| three reasons: First II is point OF
honor that victorious nation never
negotiates in the capital OF the de-
feated nation; second, technical dim
i culties in the way of communicating
from Petrograd with the Polish gov
eminent. and, third. the Polish peo-
pie would never feel sure that their
delegates were safe on bolsheVls' Ter
ritory.
The Polish demand for the frontiers
of l172 he considered as simply the
proclamation Of principle. Every
annexation in history was crime to
be righted and punished. Poland Is
| asking only the return of all Poiisn
/ territory annexed by Russia. Poland
ready to grant the peoples in those
acknowledgements Lithuanlans
White Ruthenians and Ikralnians-
| the right of INSTRUMENTATION HOW
| ever. the Polish minister admitted
| frankly that the Poles while demand
| ing a correction of old wrongs. IN
| tended TO create chain or burner
| states under Polish economic and po-
| In reply to my question as 70
! whether this barrier was intended to
| be against boIshevist influences. Bou-
| fall said Not exclusively. We simply
| do not want to have common
| frontier with Russia. Russia Will al
| ways be aggressive and only buffer
states VIII give us relative security.
! Speaking of the relations between
! Poland and the neighboring states
! Mai Boufall said:
With Germany there is open enmity
| We must always be ready for attack
| from Germany. 1t is doubtful II q
| reconciliation ever will be possible
{! With Lithuania our relations are
| strained at present. but we still hope
! that peace and friendship will prevail
! The only disturbing element is the
[ Lithuanian clergy and intelligence
| and above all the German influence
| on the Lithuanian government.
| The Poles are amazed at the un
| reasonable Lithuanian demands. Thu
claims for wilma and Grodno are
! childish. The present bolshevist of
! fensive is probably only another dem
onstration of their usual method o
supporting their peace proposals will
an attack"