Evening star., 1921-10-25
Editorial Digest
Untying the Silesian Knot.

.
Differences Of opinion in Europe
over the league Of nations solution
of the Silesian problem are curiously
reflected in American papers, which
are about evenly divided between
support ana disapproval of the award.
No international question. says the
Philadelphia North American (pro-
gressive). was ever subjected to
more various modes of treatment. or
produced so many battling failures
and complications. and if the league
has not found the answer there is
small hope that the factor of the
isfactory result" There has always
been IAN abundance of dynamite un-
derlying the controversy" and to the
Richmond Times-Dispatch Gnde-
pendent democratic) il still remains
to be seen whether the dynamite has
tiles by a wise decision" While the
award was accompanied by what one
writer calls 1.-The obviously apollo
getic; statement" that it was a new
compromise that would probably
ester Times-Gnion dndependento de-
clares that "a compromise was the
only practicable policy" and the de-
|cision, the Cleveland Plain Dealer
independent democratic) thinks, "is
about what every one outside OF Ger.
many looked for and hoped for. for"
was" and apparently, the Cleveland
paper adds, expected to get 1t" the
New York Tribune (republican) is
CONVINCED that she will get all that
under the delimitation made by the
league of nations council"
, There is no occasion, the Provi-
dence Journal independently asserts,
"for. the contention that without Up
per Silesia intact Germany cannot
has promised: that. the paper de-
clares. "is propaganda, pure and
simple" Certainly the display"
which Germany has been threatening
as a protest against the decision
would not mend matters from the
German point Of view," the Chicago
News independently remarks. and
would not prevent the enforcement
of the Silesian award" Certainly
.uprisings and disorders and cabinet
crises" in the opinion of the News.
"would be, far more Injurious than
the acceptance OF the award.
Neither Germany nor Poland would
gain a single material or moral bene-
fit by refusing to acquiesce in the
decision" -
tious question has been put to sleep
by the action of the league the
Boston Post independent democrattc)
coucedes. would be to rely too much
tipon the power of such settlement
to silence criticism" but it feels
pretty certain that the boundaries
will stay as the league fixes them.
The important point.in that regard,
as the Indianapolis News independ-
en) sees ~i.. is that the decision has
behind it "the moral influence of ifty
nations" and that it was made mot
by war. but by Il peace tribunal.
and the New York Post GndependenD
feels that "a league decision. arrived
at after due d"liberation and after
solution by violence and diplomacy
future than decision that would
have left Poland with the sense that
it had been cheated.
But. objects the Manchester Tpion
(independent republican,, this decis-
ion is no settlement of the SHesian
simply patched up a complicated
compromise which will probably be
accepted tentatively. but which has
in it no solitary element of perma-
nence" Such n compromise. the
Pittsburgh Gagette-Times (republi-
Willingness to make decision on
principle and as such it cannot
Contribute to permanent peace"
Neither Poland nor Germany will be
satisfied, and the partition will
amdunt essentially merely ito a
postponement of settlement
h Even though the leagues decision
| 'smarks definite progress in the right
DIRECTION" thesRoston Transcript Gn-
dependent republican, still feels that
1.-The Silesian knot has by no means
been untangied." because: too many
compl icating factors enter into the
prohlem to warrant the hope that
Upper Silesia will soon cease to be
potential threat against European
peace"