The Washington times., 1934-03-03

LnG HOLSS JeLL u UECESSuTy W SLyH
the pact, KnicEerbocEer declGreSO
By H. r. KNICKERBOCKER
International News Service Staff
Correspondent
IcopyrlEht. 1884. by international News
Service. Reproduction in whole or
in part fOrbidden)
WARSAW, March 3 GN.S0.
A Polish cavalryman. 81 years
old, sat his horse with difficulty
as his squadron galloped past
Marshal Josef PilSudSH at the
last grand parade in Cracow.
Three hundred airplaneS cir
cled overhead and 16 regiments
of cavalry swept down the field.
The little cavalryman was only
one among the $4,000 soldiers,
but today "the great little Zura-
vel" is a national hero whose
fame helps explain why Poland
feels she can await her military
future with confidence.
"Little zurawel" tainted when
the parade was over. Then and
only then did his comrades learn
that he had broken his leg three
days before, had ridden three
DAYS on the march to Cracow
and had hidden his injury ne-
cause he had to see Marshal Pll'
Sudski.
Both Have Heroes
The Germans have their own
story to match this. It was Nazl
storm trooper, who in the last
great motorcycle race in Germany,
crashed in Leipzig, but drove all
the way to Berlin with broken
arm and tainted only when ne
passed the finish line.
But NaN Germany, the modern
Sparta, has no monopoly on per-
sonal heroism of its youth.
Polish German war has been the
number one scare Of war scared
Europe.
Germany has it's Hitler and its
Hindenburg.
Poland has them both in one
man, Pilsudski.
Both countries have their heroes
In marshal's uniform and in the
ranks Of common soldiers. Today
these two militarist countries,
once the bitterest of enemies. have
signed truce. a treaty Of nonag'
gresSion for 10 years.
Make Out q Case
How could $4,000 900 Poles dare
to trust the 65,0O0,O00 Germans
who have always coveted Polish
soil? Does anyone imagine that
Germany will give up its claim to
the Corridor? Is it not obvious
that Hitler is only playing for
time? Is it not plain that all he
wants is to lull the Poles into a
feeling of security, and thus pre-
vent them from making war on
Germany before she has finished
rearming?
These are questions that the
world asked when Poland began
her negotiations with Hitler. Here
in Warsaw the Poles make out
good case for truce.
Their argument runs about as
foil 8:
"FirS. Of all we have an army
Of 266,OOO men. 1t iS well
equipped, from the Polish gov
erzlment munitions plants. We
have an excellent air force with
700 first class planes. We are
forced to be o military nation by
our geographical position. We
used to hear q lot Of criticism
from abroad because we spent
One-third of our budget on the
army, but today, since Hitler
came to power. this criticism has
ceased.
WAR OR NO WAR
"And though our Army may
not be nearly as large as the
one Germany may some day be
able to put in the field, we
al -ays remember that the Pol
iSh army has never been de-
feated.
"When Hitler came to power
We were not surprised. We
knew they were rearming even
before Hitler came. The O1ly
difference is now they will 60
ahead faster. It is perfectly
true that our truce with Hitler
will make him feel all the more
certain he is going to be allowed
the time necessary to rearm.
But what could we do?
1--WE could do one Of two
things: Make a preventive war
or not make war. We could not
make war alone. France made
no move, therefore we could not
move. Now that We have de-
J., cided not to make war, isn't it
better to sew up the peace with
Germany as tightly as possible,
and get whatever promises we
can out Of her for the future?
NOT BEING FOOLED
I'VE are not fooled by Hitler's
friendliness. We do not believe
that Germany il giving up her
claim to the corridor. But let
us see what the position Is now
that we have from Hitler .
promise not to fight for 10
years.
~That means that Germany
for 10 years must cease to
axitate about the corridor. And
that means that with every