Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-12-25
.THEWORLD
In REVIEW
Maj. Gen.
D. P. Banows

DOneS Oh lIle IoilsH piOuicih.
Sorely tried by his failure to
modify Stains determination to
annex eastern Poland. by the
unwillingness of the Polish gov
eminent in exile to compromise
with Russia, and by the indif-
ference of Washington. which
has refused to speak on behalf
of the Poles, and seems to lean
to the side of Soviet Russia, Mr..
Churchill ind C ties definitely
that his government may follow
Russia in recognizing the pro-
Soviet Polish committee. which
is at Lublin.
Secretary Stettinius has re-
iterated his "hands off" policy,
and stated that the United
States will agree with any set
tlement arrived at by the parties
in interest. meaning presumably
the Russians and the Poles.
TNASMUCH as Soviet Russia
Il is. at the moment, a powerful
military state, while all of Po-
land is occupied, either by Rus
sian or German armies, and the
only Polish armed forces are
those operating within the
armies Of Great Britain, there
would seem to be little prospect
of the Poles succeeding right
now in any argument with the
Russians.
However, the Poles are not q
small people, like the Esthon-
ians and the Firms. who seem
10 have lost all national rights
in the minds of most people.
They are one of the most
spirited and militant nations of
Europe, and in these respects
stand next TO the French.
In the course of their tragic
history they have had reverseS,
betrayals, and national extinc-
ton, but they have never given
up.
They were the first people to
accept war with Hitler Ger
many.
They have had no "Quislings"
and no minority party in this
conflict, unless ii be the rene
gade group, recruited within
Russia, which Moscow is striv-
ing to have generally recognized
as the legitimate representative
uf-the nation.
IF TIE Polish nation is left in
l. existence, at all, after this
war, but feels itself despoiled,
Wronged, and betrayed again, it
will become, in conformity with
its national history and charac-
ter, a center of defiance to
terms Of peace which il regards
as unjust.
This is not to say that Po-
lands eastern boundary. which
was accepted and agreed to by
Russia by the Treaty of Riga
in 1921, was wholly defensible.
1t was. however, logical.
The frontier boundary of Rus
STA became almost a straight
line from the mouth of the
Narova River, on the Gulf Of
Finland, through the Peipus
Lakes, across the open steppes.
to the Carpathian Mountains in
the south.
In the center, between Poland
and Russia, it crossed the vast
Pripet Marshes, which became
half Polish and half Russian.
Physically this was a natural
boundary line, because il Is a
strong military frontier, and
the only one which these vast
plains of Europe have.
Soviet Russia not only agreed
TO it in 1921. but on July %,
1882, in a treaty of nonaggres-
sion with Poland, reaffirmed
this boundary and pledged to
abstain from ANY act of vio-
lence attacking the integrity
and inviolability of territory, or
the political independence" of
Poland.
This treaty was renewed in
1884, to continue in force until
Dec. 81, 1915.
In August. 1899, after the
treaty between Hitler and Stain
had been ratified, the attitude
of Moscow toward Poland
changed.
And after the invading armies
of Germany had reached the
Vistula River, two Russian
armies, striking both sides OF
the Pripet marshes, invaded
Poland.
THUS Soviet Russia repudi-
Il ated its treaties with Po-
land, and Polish resistance had
to end.
Thereafter Russia, having
been driven from Poland by
German armies, and having re-
gained eastern Poland by driv-
ing these invading armies back
TO the Vistula River, demanded
a settlement of Polish territory
on the basis of the so-called
"CurZon Line"
This would deprive Poland Of
more than a third of her terri
tory, which Russia, as late as
1884, pledged herself TO respect.
These former eastern prov
inces of Poland contain large
elements which are not Polish.
An estimated million and a
half are White Russians and
perhaps six million are Ukrani-
ans.
If this war is genuinely to
establish democratic processes"