The New York herald., 1921-06-18
SITUATION CLEARING
IN UPPER SILESIA
Augmented Italian Force
Makes French More Active
in Keeping Order.

Special Cable to THE NEw YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1891. by THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Berlin, June II. T
After constant negotiations and the
pushing forward of detachments of Brit
ish troops in Upper Silesia the Polish
insurgents and the German volunteer
forces there are no longer in fghting
contact With this much achieved, COM
petent observers of the Upper Silesian
situation feel that the danger which for
a while threatened the peace OF Europe
has been averted and the ultimate sue
cess of the moves to effect Silesian
settlement has become possible.
To-day it appears that the only un-
settled military difference is the de-
termined refusal of Gen. Won Hoefer,
commanding the German volunteers, to
evacuate Annaberg Hill simply because
German blood was shed in capturing It,
1t is reported he has agreed to reduce
the Annaberg salient by retiring to
Klondmetz. following the Polish with
drawal
German reports that the British had
been won over by Gen. Lerond, French
representative and head of the inter-
allied commission. and were blindly fol-
lowing his guidance in Upper Silesian
affairs have been proved incorrect. To
the contrary. British persistence is
credited with having achieved whatever
progress had been made in reestablish-
ing peace in Upper Silesia during the
last fortnight
Adalbert Korfanty, head of the Polish
insurgent movement. has announced his
readiness to disarm local volunteer in
surgents to withdraw his organized as
sault troops from Upper Silesia and to
replace botn these organizations by a
gendarmerie recruited from the soldier
class, putting these gendarmes at the
disposal of the Allies.
1t was also reported here that the
French have made promises to the
Poles. assuring them OF support later
If they adopted conciliatory attitude
now There is evidence that the French
are more active in clearing the dis
turbed area.
The presence of an augmented Italian
force in Upper Silesia has served to
change the dominant position of the
French there. Also. Gen. Lerond's
personal prestige in his dealings with
the British and Italian representatives
has been weakened as n result of the
fact that he is now dealing with a
full British General who knows his
own mind and who insists on having
voice in the disposition OF the British
forces.
On the other hand. as long as Gen.
Lerond remains at the head of the
interallied commission in Upper ST.
lesia and French officials direct the
civil and military bureaus there Gen.
Lerond's policy will at best, II is con-
sidered here, be merely hindered but
not reversed. This was Indicated through
Gen. Lerond's success in inducing the
British to join in common action against
Gen Won Hoefer and his German volun-
teers.
obliged Gen. Lerond to abandon his
policy of tacitly supporting Korfanty
Gen. Lerond's change in this regard
also is partly ascribed here to the op-
position to him which is growing in
Paris where II is said In German cir
cles sentiment is growing that he
should be prevented from endangering
the peace treaty through policy OF
adventure which can bring no direct
advantage TO France.
The fact that Korfanty's propo sal to
disarm and to organize a gendarmerie to
be placed at the disposal of the Allies
accords with Gen. Leronds proposals is
taken here to indicate that the French
General and the Polish insurgent leader
have reached an. agreement promising
the Polish insurgents French support
before the allied Supreme Council.
Developments in recent weeks indicate
that the organized forces of Polish in
surgents are fairly well controlled but
the volunteer home guards, which are
mostly concentrated in the mining and
factory towns, are ignoring the orders
from the insurgent leaders and from the
German property owners and are begin
ming to talk about setting up workers
republic. Both the Poles and the Ger
mans are, however. thus far showing
good faith in carrying out the orders