New-York tribune., 1920-09-22
Slight Peace Prospects at Riga

RIGA, Sept. 2l (By The Associated
Press).- The prospects do not appear
bright for speedy peace between
Poland and Soviet Russia resulting
from the conference which was for
mally opened here yesterday. The in
dicated refusal of Soviet Russia to
disarm, as the Poles are expected to
demand, seems likely to be the chief
stumbling block.
The Bolshevik delegation, it is FORE
cast, will insist that Poland must dis
arm. with the exception of a small
defensive force, as Poland would be at
an armistice with the Moscow govern
ment, the Soviet representatives point
out. The Bolsheviki, however, insist
that they are at war with General
Wrangel, France and the United States,
which makes it imperative, they de-
clare, that they maintain a war foot
ing. Great Britain is omitted from
this classification by the Russians, as
it appears they no longer consider
themselves at war with her.
American Warship in Harbor
The presence of the American tor
pedoboat destroyer Broome in the
harbor Of Riga has caused the Soviet
delegates to make some inquiries from
the Latvian government.
The Soviet representatives suggested
that the peace treaty with Latvia for
hade the use Of territorial waters by
ships of countries fighting Soviet Rus
sia, but as no war actually has been
declared between the United States
and Soviet Russia the Latvian officials
explained that the American ships
in the Baltic had been offered the hos
pitality of Latvian ports, as also had
British warships.
There also are two British torpedo
boat destroyers and cruisers and one
Polish warship in the harbor.
Medieval gloom enshrouded the open
ing of the conference. The gray day
shed a dull light through the cathe-
dral-like windows of Black Head House,
where NJ. Meirmwitch, Lettish Minister
OF Foreign Affairs, welcomed the Rus
sian Communists who are struggling
to perpetuate the Soviet government,
and the Poles, who are seeking to
establish firmly a democratic govern
mention the ruins of the old Polish
kingdom.
The potrait Of Catherine the Great,
in gorgeous military uniform ridir =
astride q white stallion, looked upon
the little groups of men in drab attire,
bent upon settling the dismember-
ment of the great Russian Empire.
Nicholas II and several other ears,
as we'll as Charles XI anu Charles XII
Of Sweden, also watched the proceed
ings from heavy gold frames lining
the assembly room of the ancient mer-
chants guild, which laid the business
foundation for Riga, formerly Russia's
second Baltic port. Some of the Boil
sheviki objected originally to conduct
ing the negotiations among the pic
lures Of ir1nerialistir rulers, but cool
headed associates silenced the pro-
tests and the decorations of the
historic room remained untouched
St. Maurice, thc Moorish patron
saint of the guild, appears everywhere
IN the de corations. Coal black statues
Of the Moor, clad only in lon cloth,
are al about the building. HIS curl ;,
head bound with red sash and orna-
mented with great sold earrings, ie
woven into the drapery, and an
alleeorisal picture rcpr esenting the
Moor comforting his blessing upon
Riga and stablishing her commercial
greatness is the central panel Of the
ceiling frescoes in the conference hall.
Captain Evan f. Young, the Ameri-
can commissioner in the Baltic states,
and Colonel Holiday, the American