Evening star., 1939-05-13
Poland Depending
On Own Strength
Rather Than Pledges
Million Men Under Arms,
Country Is Preparing
Defense Quietly
By WALTER DURANTY.

Then suddenly there came the sound
of church bells rung from every
steeple in Poland And the life OF the
nation ceased and grew frozen as by
spell. When the bells chimed, the
whole people stood silent, men and
women in the city streets and autos
and horses and streetcars and the
peasants in their villages and the
children at their play The whole
land was silent, waiting as three
long minutes passed.
So Poland mourned Marshal Pill
sudski at 8:45 last night, at the hour
he died four years ago yesterday.
The effect was made more i'm
preSsive by sheer lack of aim and
effort. Or of any display of emo
tion-the land stood still, and then
it moved again. This strange theme
was most symbolic of Polish reac-
tions to the present crisis.
Poles May Surprise Hitler.
I find this country surprising: it
may surprise Hitler. too. In Mos
COW, it was generally thought that
the Poles were unlikely to fight for
Danzig, that some compromise
would be reached, more or less at
Polish expense. whereby Hitler
would once more obtain his objec-
tive without war. Foreign Minister
Beck's speech began to change this
view, and in Riga-where similar
notions had prevailed-the same
change. but yet more, developed
But there are still skeptics who say
that the Poles are never so affirma-
tive as when they intend to yield,
or that the Poles could work them
selves up but haven't stamina. or
that Col. Beck is too willy to fight,
much less to put his trust in Prime
Minister Chamberlain.
But Poland gives a different i'm
preston. There are no signs of ex
citement, no 'grim-faced heroes
marching" or the display of patrio-
tic fervor we read about in Prague
last September. But Poland has
million men under arms, and not
only Poles, but minorities-the Belo-
Russians, Ukrainians. Jews, Lithu-
anians-joined the colors 100 per
cent when the order came.
The government and the people
take the stand that Danzig means
access to the sea and therefore is
vital to Poland. They proceed on
the assumption that war is inevitable
unless Hitler back-pedals, which he
has never done before, and foreign
observers say that the Polish army
has already taken up combat posi-
tions according to long g-prepared
war plan and is ready for instant
action.
Caught Badly Unaware.
Curiously enough, there seems
little doubt that Poland was caught
badly unaware by Hitler's leap upon
Prague on March IS. Then, within
a few days, the Poles learned that
the famous NaZi motorized nine di-
visions, which bloodlessly conquered
Austria, Sudetenland, Prague and
Memel, were now prowling ominously
along Poland's fiat and far-flung
frontier.
On March 81 German Foreign
Minister Won Ribbentrop, in Berlin,
put certain requirements before
Polish Ambassador Lipski. The Poles
made no reply, but got buster than
bird dogs. Without trumpets or
proclamations, reservists were quietly
called up. and on the 26th the Poles
rejected the German demands. BY
that time 100000 men were ready
to meet the motorized troops.
Which may help to explain the
savage suddenness of Hitler's uni
lateral denunciation of the German
Polish pact. 1t may explain, too.
the sour grapes of the German
broadcast that, if Col. Beck were
wise. he would take lesson in state
craft from former President Benes
of Czecho-Slovakia. The answer to
that one is that Col. Beck has, but
not in the way the broadcaster
meant.
What also strikes one in Warsaw
is that the Poles seem to rely upon
themselves and have no blind, un-
limited confidence in Mr.. Chamber
lain or French Foreign Minister
Bonnet. They seem to think, too,
that it is nearly time that one of
Hitler's bluffs got called, and feel
they are ready to call it. They know
that war, for Germany, risks a lot
of much that has been won before
it has been digested or consolidated.
Warsaw does not underestimate Hit
ler's intelligence and believes that
he will think twice before he takes
such a chance, If only he is boldly
outfaced.
Would Welcome Soviet Equipment.
In this, the Poles agreed with
the Russians, and it Is worth
noting that Col. Beck's two-hour
conversation with Soviet Vice For
eign Commissar Potemkin gave
lively satisfaction here. The two
statesmen talk the same language,
not pacts or guarantees which
neither asker or wanted, but about
measures to adopt If Hitler carries
out his last threats.
Poland does not want Soviet
troops except in a last resort, but
would welcome equipment, NUM-
tions and planes. Potemkin, I gather,
made no promises, but indicated
that. If Britain and France join
the U. S. S. r. in q mutual alliance,
then the resources Of the U. S. 8. r.
would be RlAdly placed At Poland's 8