Omaha daily bee., 1920-03-15
Poland and the Balance
of Power
From the Philadelphia Ledger,

The new state of Poland is likely to prove
the very keystone OF that rational and demo-
cratic balance of power that will save Europe
from reaction on the one side and boshevisn1
on the other. The dramatic significance OF the
fact that Marshal Foch will go to Warsaw al
the time that the allies, including Rumania, will
take up the question of recognizing the actual
situation in Russia, with the United States play
ing the part of an intelligent partner. It not
almoner, by arranging for private loan OF $9o,,,
100000, cannot be over-exaggerated. 1t IS proof
that the allies have at least ceased to wander
in fog" so far as Poland goes and that they
realize that, rs between Poland and some OF the
Russian governments they have been support
ing, they were backing the wrong horses The
inspiring truth about the Polish situation,
which gives the Poles the whphandle in the
European n1uddle. apparently is now fully
grasped. Even those most reluctant to admit
that Poland was anything more thar an artificial
buffer, or barrier state. now see in this enthusi-
astic new nation, which has an area as large as
Germany and population equal to that OF Italy,
and very near that of France. one of the most
powerful factors in the orderly reconstruction
of eastern Europe.
The delay in realizing this pregnant fact was
due to the seeming impossiblty of the Entente
believing the evidence of their own eyes as they
saw Poland vsibly expand ard take on all the
functions of homogeneous nation with gov
ernment not afraid of itself nor of the people,
and above all, not afraid Of the bolshevists.
Poland, therefore, has fatty refused to assume
the role of the more or less humble buffer or
temporary dixie against Russian decentralization,
and. in particular has taken up the ironical
challenge of the Germans that it is mere sea-
son state" (Saisonstaa), that will last for sea-
son and 60 by the board. 1t has already con-
yinccd the doubling German government
through the decisive acts of General Pilsudski
that the new Polish state has not only come to
stay, but means business, and has to be
rcekoned with as political and industrial unit
which cannot be overthrown with backstairs in
trigue nor marooned by economic hostility. The
not only will strong Poland be guarantee Of
peace so far as Germany IS concerned, but it
means everything in the way Of a common
sense and practical dealing with the bolshevist
issue. As General Pilsudski said recently,
neither he, nor his associates in the govern
ment, nor the Polish army are afraid of boil
shevism, since "the Polish workingmen know
what bolshevism has done to enslave the labor
ing classes of Russia The Polish soldiers con-
slider themselves better fighters, and declare
that the bolshevist army has only been success
full in civil war in Russia, wherein they have
undoubtedly triumphed Moreover the Polish
leaders see mo sign Of Napoleon in Russia"
who will lead Russian armies against all out
siders and seek the conquest of Europe. They
also declare that "the bolshevist army is sick Of
labor and the Russian peasant firmly entrenched
on his plot Of ground, from which neither boil
shevst nor the foreigner can dislodge him.
This makes Warsaw the logical place for dis
cussing the relation of Europe with Russia,
since Poland's 3s,000000 are the key to the east
ern situation. 1t should be a cause for optimism,
therefore, that Poland with patchwork ma
chinery and staff consisting of amateurs has
been able to create democratic state out Of
three empires, two of which broke down from
sheer rottenness." For that is what Paderew-
ski. a musician and a dreamer, and Pilsudski,
quite his opposite, have done under circum-
stances of incredible difficulty. the character Of
which is just now being recognized by the very
men who sat about table in Paris last spring
and brought this remarkable nation into being.