The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-08-04
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS
BY LUDWELL DENNY.

BY LUDWELL DENNY.
XXTASHINGTON, Aug. 4.-Hos-
w tilities threatening between
Poland and Lithuania raise the
question in diplomatic circles here
Of the effect Of the Kellogg anti
war treaty upon this and other So
called perpetual menaces" to peace
in Europe.
Poland formally has signifed her
intention to sign the Kellog pact in
Paris this month with the original
signatories, and Lithuania is ex-
pected to follow with other small
nations thereafter when the treaty
is open to all governments.
These treaty nations will re-
nounce war as an instrument of
national policy, bat will reserve the
right of so-called defensive war.
Poland and Lithuania claim their
present military preparation and
massing of troops along the border
is a measure of defense,
There is nothing in the treaty
permitting an outside body to de-
termine which would be the ag-
gressor, nor is any machinery or
force provided for enforcement Of
the pledge against aggressive war.
European diplomats are expressing
the hope that the United States,
to make the pact effective, will
stand behind it in case of trouble"
but Secretary Kellogg says this gov
eminent will go no farther than
the letter of the treaty which does
not commit the United States to
any action against an offending
government, such, for instance, as
Poland and Lithuania.
The Polish Lithuanian dispute
over Wilma is even more embarrass-
ing to the large Europeon powers,
who are both prospective signator-
les to the Kellogg anti-war treaty
and members of the League of Ma
tions.
Not only is the league directly in
volved in the dispute, through hav-
ing "recognized' the alleged theft
Of Wilma by Poland, but Lithuania
now threatens to resign from the
league unless Wilma is returned to
her.
T TIJUANA in repeating her pro-
IL test to the league again at the
September meeting is ready to ar
que that unless the wrong is
righted" it is proof that the league
either is not willing or not able to
protect the rights of small nations.
This dispute, viewed with the ut
most gravity in Berlin, Moscow and
Warsaw today, dates back to the
winter Of 1929. The Polish gen.
eral, Zeligowski, violated the ar
mistice between Poland and Lith-
uania arranged by the league, Re
Igowski seized Wilma, the Llth-
ania capital.
Though the Polish government at
the time announced that Zeligowsld
acted without its authority, Warsaw
later Unanswered, with the aid Of
France, to obtain a decision from
the conference of ambassadors in
Paris, giving Wilma to Poland.
Lithuania never has accepted that
action of the entente powers, and
Wilma has been a constant danger
point ever since.
The immediate dispute started on
May &c, when Lithuania proclaimed
a new national constitution in
which Wilma was named as the cap
ital of that country. Poland replied
with a sharp note on May 81, saying
that this Wilma declaration was ode
void of legal significance or practical
effect"
Great popular demonstrations
against Poland have been contin-
uing in Lithuania since Premier
Voldenaras and War Minister Dau-
kantas on June Is made fiery
speeches to the congress Of Lith-
uanian sharpshooters about Wilma.
Then Lithuania on July 9 re-
jected the proposed treaty with Po-
land, providing for arbitration and
nonaggrcssion.
ATOW it is reported from Kovno,
~ the temporary Lithuanian
capital, that President Snetona, in
addressing $4,000 irate peasants on
the border, pledged to concessions
over Wilma and called upon them
to rally against foreign pressure"
Thousands of irregular troops are
nassed on each side of the
frontier. with the two governments
said to be secretly molibizing regu-
lar troops. Unless an actual clash
occurs before, high danger point
will be reached on Aug. IL, when
the militant Polish dictator, Mar
shall Pilsudski, is to address q con-
gress of Polish legionnaires such as
captured Wilma originally.
Unconf1rmed dispatches state that
the German government has pro-
tested to Poland against these mill
tary preparations and has warned
France and Great Britain of the
of the situation
Soviet Russia, which warned Po-
land against aggression toward Lii
of May 81, follows:
"a unilateral act of the Lithu-
anian government is powerless to
alter Polish rights in the wilma ter
ritory, which were derived from a
solemn vote Of representatives of
the local inhabitants in the wilma
were confirmed by a de-
cision of the Polish seyn. and were
recognized in the resolution of the
cnnference-and later