Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-19
PEACE FOUNDATION
LAID BY LEADERS
At RIGA MEETING
Conference 0stensibly for
Arranging Details" Is
Highly important.
Ry the Associa ted Press.

RIGA. September 1S.-AdoIph Joffe,
head Of the Russian soviet delegation,
and M. Dombski of the Polish peace
mission met for the first time this
afternoon in a two-hour conference
behind closed doors. 1t was said
offfcialiy yesterday that this meeting
was for the purpose of arranging de-
tails Of the regular conference which
is expected to begin tomorrow.
1t is understood. however. that NJ.
Dombski and M. Joffe really laid the
first groundwork for peace settle
ment.
Later NJ Dombski's secretary said
there would be no announcement con-
corning the nature of the CONVERSE
tons. but he added that the frst ses-
sion OF the peace conference had been
fixed for next Tuesday at o'clock in
the evening.
The reason for the delay is to give
the Polish delegation an opportunity
to confer among themselves regarding
certain points of counter proposals
which at present are incomplete.
BY Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.
Copyright, 1920
WARSAW, September 1s.-Polish
military authorities are not overop-
timistic regarding the Riga negotia-
tons. They are not expected to
change the real situation. for no one
In Poland has any confidence in soviet
promises. A signed peace would hard
~ mean more than an armistice and
tirely to demobilize her army and
begin the work so necessary to re-
facilitating the country
With the position along the Polish
front secure, the reds would feel free
to direct their entire energy against
q Nn,h toH toll
easily hnd q pretext for once more
attacking Poland. Although the red
army was badly defeated by the Poles.
the bolshevfk have an inexhaustible
supply Of men. Soviet Russia lacks
guns. material and munitions, while
the Poles have no man-power to COM
pare with that of Russia. The great
est blow suffered by the reds was not
SO much in wounded and prisoners as
in the destruction of confidence in
the soviet military system. An army
recruited and forced to fight through
terror has been shown to be weaker
than an army fighting in defense of
Its own country.
Under the red system soviet COM
mtssaires went with the armies and
discipline was maintained by the Sc
verest measures. the soviet groups
in detachments spying upon each man
until the red soldier came virtually
to be a slave. Even officers, like the
old and feeble Gen. Benoussilev, gave
their services for the safety Of family
and position. The Poles affirm that
Chinese troops shot into the red ranks
from behind in order to enforce an
advance and that many of the wound
ed and captured were shot and killed
by them.
Reds Live on Country.
The soviet army lives upon the
country without any system Of re-
victualment. acquisitions, the Poles
say, are conducted fairly enough, but
the pay is ridiculously small and in
soviet rubles. Only in rapid advances
Such an army without trains or equip
ment can attack readily and elude
pursuit. but it lacks staying power.
Thus the Polish victory scattered the
red army like chair without having
the result of smashing a ponderous
machine. The reds have possibly lost
confidence In an army formed from
slaves and driven by spies. Their
army idea has proved as worthless
as their economic policy. which has
brought ruin and misery to the cities.
It 10 thought that Lenin's peace party
mas now obtained An ascendancy over
the Trotsky military party. and that
some form Of peace must result from
the Riga conference, although q real
peace cannot come while the bolshevist
system rules In Russia.
Poles Take More GrounA.
WARSAW. September II (by the AS
socfated Press).-The Polish troops, as
a part Of the maneuyer which resulted
IN the capture Of Lutsk, crossed the
Stochod. advanced along the railroad
in the direction of Rozsyszcze, and cap
tured Turjsk. with four locomotives.
$50 cars. an armored train named Red
and eight guns, It Is offic1-
ally announced. The Polish cavalry oc-
cupied Cholojow and Radziechow, in
the region Of the emilia Lipa and the
Upper Bug.
The Ukrainians and Poles, operating
together north Of the Dniester, have
defeated the Russians, and the pursuit
has reached the line Of Zyrawka.
Uhrynkowce, Potokhaz Zloty, Koros-
ciatyn and Monastezyzka. Many prison.
ers have been taken.
The capture Of Lutsk gives the Poles
control OF moro than half Of the forti-
ned triangle southeast Of Kovel. can
tured several days ago, the points
on which are Lutslk, Dubro and Rovno.
these last two fortresses being now
within Sunshot Of the Polish front
lines.,