The Washington herald., 1921-01-17

WARSAW, Dec. 7-(By Mafl).--
OF the external affairs which have
been absorbing public interest dur
ing the past few weeks the most
important are the Polish Soviet
peace negotiations in progress at
Riga and affairs At wilma, where the
league of nations commission is en-
deavoring to find a solution of the
situation created by Gen. Zelligow-
ski and his supporters.
With regard to the first of these,
the negotiations seem to be pro-
crossing as well as could be expect
ed, in spite of the fact that every
few days there are rumors that the
negotiations have been broken off,
followed by an exchange of tele-
grams between Tsitcherin and
Prince Sapieha, accusing each other
of bad faith and announcing that
either Poles or Russians have VIC.
lated armistice terms.
One question which has caused
considerable difficulty at the Peace
Conference has been the exchange
of war prisoners, the Bolshevists
maintaining that only Polish pris.
oners~ taken on the Western Front
should be subject to exchange, and,
as far as the Bolsheviks were con-
cerned, they did not desire the re-
turn of their men who had been
taken prisoners byS Poland. Some
progress was made, however, by the
decision that all prisoners except
war prisoners should be returned
before the conclusion of peace. leav-
ing the question of the exchange of
prisoners OF war subject to further
negotiations.
Poles Oppase Draft.
In the meantime the Polish dele
CATION has entered a strong protest
against the drafting of Polish pris-
oners into Soviet regiments, with a
special protest against the policy Of
the Bolsheviks of shooting those
Poles who. after being drafted. de-
scrt their regiment.
With regard to machines. imple-
ments, and other property which
was carried out of Poland by the
Russian invaders, it has been finally
agreed that such articles as are still
in existence shall be returned to
Poland. but no understanding has
been reached regarding indemnities
for materials taken from the Poles
and subsequently destroyed.
Bitterness of feeling between
Lithuanians and Poles over the fate
of Wilma has not been mitigated to
any extent by the arrival of the
league of nations commission. On
one hand the Lithuanians have re-
quested the league to apply against
Poland Article XVI of the covenant.
which calls for a complete block
ade, as it is alleged that the Poles
have failed in their obligations by
supporting Zelligowski. On the
other hand 1t is reported that the
Lithuanian army is becoming more
and more nationaliZed. and that 1t
now contains more Germans than
Lithuanians. 1t is also stated that
the BOlsheviks have promised the
Kovno government that in case mil
itary operations in Lithuania con-
tinue a Red army will be sent to
occupy Wilma.
Anti-German Feeling Grows.
As the time draws near for the
holding of the plebiscite in Upper
Silesia, feeling against the Germans,
and to a smaller degree against the
Czechs, is becoming stronger. The
proposal that emigrants from Upper
Silesia be allowed to participate in
the plebiscite is being bitterly op-
posed by Polish press and public
opinion.
1t is estimated that there are
about 100000 Germans, born in this
territory but now living elsewhere
who would be eligible to vote under
this proposal. There are possibly
as many emigrants of Polish origin
now employed in the Ruhr, but in
order to vote they would have to
pass through German lines, and it
is believed that the number who
might be able to vote would be con-
siderably smaller than the number
of Germans of a similar statue.
The Poles were further incensed
by an order of Cardinal Bertram
forbidding the Upper Silesia clergy
to make speeches without the per
mission German canons thereby
preventing Polish priests from max
ing propaganda
Negotiations with Czecho- -Slovakia
regarding Lower Silesia. which were
apparently brought to a satisfactory
conclusion, have been somewhat
complicated by a demand of Polish
labor that half of Lower Silesia be
given to the Czechs. In repIv to
this Prime Minister Witos stated