New-York tribune., 1921-02-19
France Forms
Ring Against
Russian Reds
Continental Policy Includes
Extension of Franco-Pol-
ish Alliance to Rumania
and Czecho Slovakia
Would Curb Germans
Paris 10 Reveal Converse
tions That Took Place
With President Pilsudski
By Ralph Courtney
Special Gable to The Tribune

Copyright. 1921. New York Tribune Ino.
PARIS, Feb. 18.-,-France has de-
cided to publish the substance of the
conversations that took place RECENTLY
between representatives of the French
and Polish governments on the occa-
sion of President Pilsudski's visit to
Paris.
France will be shown by the docu
ments to have taken Poland definitely
under her protection. On the one hand
there is an economic agreement giving
france valuable concessions in Poland
and safeguarding her commercial in
terests there. On the other hand, there
Is the military understanding. Franco
folish military accord will be alluded
to, although the exact text of neither
thls nor the commercial agreement is
hkely to be made public.
Henceforth, however, France and Po-
land are military allies. The part of
Frances Continental policy in which
Foland plays prominent part consists
or an extension of the Franco Polish
alliance to Rumania and Czecho-SIo-
vakia.
Poles and Rumanians Agree
DR.. Benes, the Czech Foreign Minis
ter, has just concluded a visit here.
rrince Sapieha, the. Polish FOREIGN
Minister, is meanwhile in Bucharest
cconversing with the representatives of
the Rumanlan government. 1t is un
derstood that the finishing touches
have now been put to an agreement be-
tween Poland and Rumania which for
some time has been practically an ac-
complished fact.
AS for -Slovakia, good prog
ress mas been made toward bringing
her into the alliance. Frances Continen.
tai policy is directed chiefly toward the
Bolsheviki, and her intention is to pre-
vent junction of the Bolsheviki and
her hi.er other enemy, Germany. The nego-
tiations with the Prague government
have been long and difficult The
Czechs are not as strongly anti-Bol.
shevik as are the Poles and Rumanians
and they have natural indisposition to
tight the Russians. The dispute be-
tween Czecho-Slovakia and Poland over
Ieschen also has hindered the UNDER
standing between those two countries
which France wants to bring about.
nevertheless, considerable progress
is SAID to have been registered in the
negotiations. The Czcchs are not will
ing to go so far as to agree to invade
Russia in the event of war between
the Soviets and Poland and Rumania.
But they are understood to have con-
sented to hold the Carpathian passes
against any Bolshevik military sweep
westward: They also have agreed to.
support the Poles as against aswestern
power such as Germany.
Czech Position Strategic
This arrangement, if confirmed will
be OF the greatest Importance to Eu.
rope and to the world, in the opinion
of French observers. Without the help
of Czecho-Slovakia the Bolsheyiki could
always invade Central Europe by turn
ing the Polish front in the south.
Inc French army general staff has
made most minute study Of methods
of defending Europe. They regard the
position of Czecho-Slovakia as strate-
gic and absolutely essential to the plan
now formulated.
France not only has taken the Polish
army in hand but has placed many
officers with the Czecho-Slovak mill
tary organization. The generalissimo
of the Czech forces is General Mittel-
hauSer, a Frenchman. Recent reports
say that the Czech military machine
has been much improved under French
| tutelage.
1t is believed in Paris that in case
kthe Germans have decided to resist
| the Allied reparation and disarmament
demands, they are relying in large
measure on armed support from the
Bolsheviki and general Red invasion:
In such an event Poland, Czecho-Slo-
vakia and Rumania would be imme-
diately supported by the French in
great wedge which Foch plans to drive
along the valley of the Main, through
Frankfort and Wurzburg to the bor-
der off Czecho- -Slovakia.
If the London conference fails and
! military operations are found neces-
sary, French observers believe that
they Will be on an enormous scale and
of a nature that will again change the
nf :" -