Evening star., 1923-05-06
Touring Eastern Nations in
Interest of Alliances of
Great Importance.
POLISH ARMY NOW
UNDER FRENCH HEAD
Prague. Budapest and Belgrade to
Be Asked to Support New
Movement.
ny cable TO The Star and New York Tribune,
Copyright, 1875

>Hy cable TO The Star and New York Tribune
Copyright, 1875
PARIS, May o-Germany's rather de-
hant attitude in batting the French with
reparations proposals. which fell so far
short from the conditions, repeatedly
enunciated by Nj. Poincare in public
speeches that they could not even be
considered, has thrown new light on the
present trip OF Foch to central and
eastern Europe.
The marshal arrived in Warsaw In
time to represent France as a dis
tinguished visitor to Poland's celebra-
tion Of her infant independence on May
J. This ostensibly was the marshal's
object, but the real object Of the trip
is military, as he will continue later
to Prague, the capital Of the Little
Entente"
Objectivcs Same.
Poland and France are the two ma
tions in Europe whose main preoccupa-
ton is national security. The two Sc
curity problems are linked together.
Poland has Germany looking at her
from the west, and France has the
Teuton menace from the east. Poland
also has visions Of Russia going mad
again, some day.
Foch's presence in Warsaw is there
fore clear. He is there to confer with
the Polish army staff relative to meas
ures for the closest military co-opera-
tion with France, in the event of Ger
man aggression, and to inspect the Po-
lish military machine. Since the end
of the war the inter-allied general staff,
which continued to work under the d.
rection Of the former Ceneralissino, has
foreseen-as it's duty dictates-that
France could be rcattacked by Germany
not only directly against its own 'front.'
lers. but indirectly against thsaPelisa
frontier.
Arc Military Allies.
4 direct western attack on France is
impossible for many years to come
However, an attack on the Poles could
be made tomorrow. From the military
point OF view either attack comes to
the same thing. Franco and Poland
are military allies. 1t IL perhaps signifi-
crossed the Polish frontier a few days
ago, he received from the Polish au-
Lhorities the baton Of a marshal of
Poland, and it was rot necessarily
simply the manifestation of respect and
admiration.
From that moment the former
Eeneralissimo of the. inter-allied
armies became really, according to
secret and important deliberations Of
the Polish government, the chief Of
both armies. having under his orders
Marshal Pilsuasky as chief of the
Poles, as we'll as Marshal Petain.
Heads Polish Army.
give orders to the Polish army for
preparation of a defensive in the
event OF war as we'll as to decide the
necessary fortincations and general
organizations Of the various frontiers
settling all details Of the military
plan for operations against Germany.
The French have in eastern Europe
both friends and allies, Poland par
ticularly among the latter. But the
situation has changed seriously since
1914. Some changes are advantage
Gus to the French, others have a con-
trary effect. The principal advantage
Of course is that Germany has been
beaten and the French now occupy
German territories, including the
powerful line OF defense on the west
ern frontier Of Germany-ths Rhine.
II is not an advantage to have
Poland substituted as ally for
Russia ION the east. Russia In 1914
was a great, powerful nation not Sc
riously threatened from any quarter
except from the west. On the other
hand Poland is a small, young, weak
state, badly organized, with danger
GUS minorities in her own territory,
and weakened also by her special
geographic position.
90 Inspeets Aerial Corps.
In addition to perfectlng technical
points of the Polish defense, Foch
will make careful inspection of the
Aviation Corps on the German-P Polish
front. II Germany should be foolish
enough to start anything against
either ally, an air bombafdment Of
b0rlln "Oul0 DC nVlSd6co ~ olh kpCoo
nearby Polish bases. French avia-
tion bases may, perhaps, be establish
ed in Czechoslovakia also. Leaving
Poland. Foch will pass on to Prague,
where he will confer with one Of his
best pupils, Gen. Mittlhausser. COM
chief of the Cxechoslova-
Khan army-a Frenchman. Czechos1o-
vakia is the arsenal OF central Eu-
rope. Prague inherited some Of the
greatest industries Of Austrla-Hun.
gary. including the famous Skoda gun
works; and it is natural to suppose
Prague would not be unfriendly to
the allies in case of German agkres-
sion. 1t Is not regarded as Impossible
that Fooh may. pass on to Belgrade.
The supposition exists that Focl,
may conclude precise military
agreement with Prague, working out
y more general agreement with Bel
.akade and Bucharest later on. If Ber-
lin is actually batting the French
by rendering reparations proposals
known by Berlin to be unacceptable
before sending them, and preparing
for trouble, the answer to that really
SsFooh's triD through eastern Europe.