The Washington herald., 1921-03-21
Writer Explains Poten-
tialities of Treaty
Made at Riga.
WILL HOLD GERMAN
STRENGTH IN CHECK
Vifile People, with Re.
gainedArea, Bound to
Become Great.
By FRANK H. sIMoNDs.

Quantitatively, at least. the treaty
of Riga, which restores peace be-
tween Russia and Poland. represents
the greatest single change in the
map Of Europe yet produced by any
one of the muitifarious documents
which have undertaken to liquidate
the war BY this treaty Russia
loses upward of 100000 square miles
and more than 100000 people, an
area greater than that of Italy and
Switzerland combined and q popu-
lation half as large as that Of
France.
On the historical side the change
represents the retrocession to Po-
land of tte territory taken at the
Third Partition. that of 1875. por-
tion of which fell to Austria and to
Prussia, but was subsequently ceded
to Russia after the fall of Napoleon
and at the congress of Vienna. The
far vaster areas acquired by Russia
at the expense Of Poland in the
Partitions of 1772 and 1793 still re-
main Russian. Looking toward more
recent history the new frontier
pretty closely follows the old Ger
man battlefront from 1915 to the
collapse of Russia in 1917.
Collapse Of Reds Seen.
Peace between Poland avs Russia
means many things. but first of all
1t would seem to indicate the col
lapse, temporary at least. of the
conquering purpose of the Bolshe-
visits. A year ago they still dreamed
of sweeping into Central Europe.
striking hands with the Reds of
Hungary and of Germany. Their
early victories over the Poles last
summer seemed to forecast destruc-
tion of Polish liberty, but the Polish
counter offensive and the Wrangel
| operation in the south compelled
| them to agree to the armistice of
Riga, which now becomes a defini-
tive treaty. when ratified by the two
governments. and ratifications seem
mere matter of form.
| Bolshevist Russia, then, seems to
have adjourned all intention of risk
ing an offensive this year. Prob
ably the determining factor has
been the recent and otherwise abor-
tive rebellion at Kronstadt. We
may assume that the same fact
holds good with respect of Rumania
and the prospects of a Russo Ru-
manian treaty, recognizing Ruman-
ian title to Bessarabia, seems a
probable development of the near
future. AS Russia has already
agreed as to frontiers with the Bal
tic states. Finland. Latvia, Esthonia
and Lithuania, the question of the
Western frontiers of Russia would
seem about resolved.
Territor. ThinIy Populated.
The limits fixed at Riga far trans
scend those which the conference ut
Paris was willing to allow the
Poles. although by no means inclpd-
ing all of the lands once rolish. Al
Faris the so-called "ethnic from
tier" indicated by the Curzon line
gave Poland only the frontiers o.
the so-called Congress Poland
which were marked by the left
bank of the Bug River from the old
Russo-Austrian frontier and thence
to the Niemen by a straight line
passing east of Bielostok. While
this boundary more or less followed
ethnic lines. 1t did violence to his
tcrical and economic considerations
and left Poland without a defensive
barrier.
The new agreement extends the
| frontier eastward to the Pripe,
Marshes, adding between 10000 and
$4,000 square miles to Congress Fo.
land and 100000 or 1900, 600 in.
habitants, to take before the wal
statistics. But in reality the region
was swept clear Of its Inhabitants
during the war and remains very
thinly popuiated Polish pla n. ran
template establishing in this emp
ty region colonies which will give
purely Polish character to a dis.
trict in which the culture has al.
ways been Polish.
The protest. Of Kerensky, issued
on the announcement of the signing
CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE.