The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-01-11
Poles Ponder
Red Offer
Continued from Page u

had proved unable to establish
friendly relations with the Soviet
Union or organizing IAN active
struggle against the German in
vaders of Poland ITSELF The cabi-
net, by its incorrect policy, often
plays into the hands of the German
invaders" the Soviet statement said.
Well-informed sources here be-
lieved Russia's offer. which suggest
ed the Curzon line of 1919 as a pos
sible Soviet Polish boundary, would
be the final gesture by Premier
Josef Stain during the war with
the possibility that, if the question
were left until after the war Poland
might lose much more territory.
Russia broke off relations with
the exile government last April 26
after the Poles had asked the In
ternational Red Cross to investigate
a German propaganda claim that
the Soviets had massacred Polish
army officers.
There has been widespread specu-
lation that Polish exiles in Russia
might set up a rival exile govern
ment, but none has materialized
However, the union of Polish pa
triots has been very active in Mos
COW.
Demand Reiterated
The Polish exile cabinet re-
iterated last Wednesday its de-
mand for re establishment Of Po-
lish sovereign administration over
liberated portions OF the Polish
state, but at the same time ex-
pressed hope of a resumption of
Russian Polish relations.
The Russian compromise offer
disclosed by the official Soviet news
agency Tass early today, represent
ed the first concrete gesture by
either side toward compromising It's
demand for the entire strip Of east
ern Poland taken over by the So
VETS under the Molotov-R ibbentrop
agreement.
Re-aflrming Russias desire for a
strong and independent Poland"
the new Soviet statement said the
government docs not consider the
Polish borders Of 1889 as being I'M
alterable" and proposed that they
be altered 'in such way that the
regions in which the Polish popula-
ton predominant would be ceded to
Poland"
In the east. for example" the
statement said the new Soviet
Polish frontier could follow the So
called "Curzon line"
The "Curzon line" proposed by
Britain's Lord Curzon during an
other boundary dispute in 1919 and
approved at that time by the Allied
powers, roughly ran from Grodno
at the southern tip Of Lithuania
through the Bialystok, Brest Litovsk
and Przemsyl areas to the northern
frontier Of Czechoslovakia.
$3.50 Square Miles
OF the territory occupied by
Russia In 1889, she would give UP
under this plan triangle Of 6,570
square miles between Grodno and
Brest Litovsk and a smaller triangle
at the southern end Of the line.
Poland would regain Bialystok in
the north and Przemsyl in the
south, while Russia would retain
Wilno. Brest Litovsk and Lwow.
Poland's western borders must
be extended by the inclusion into
Poland Of integral Polish lands
taken away earlier by Germany"
the Soviet statement said, while her
northern borders must include an
outlet to the Baltic Sea.
The Russians asserted their I'm
alterable right to the Western
Ukraine and western White Russia,
which they said were incorporated
into the Soviet Union in 1899 lin
accordance with the will OF popu-
lation as expressed In q plebis-
cite carried out in conformity with
wide democratic principles"
The injustice done by the treaty
OF Riga Of 1921, forced upon the
Soviet Union In relation to the
Ukrainians inhabiting the western
Ukraine and White Russians In
habiting White Russia thus was
corrected" the statement said.
Soviet Desire
The statement asserted the SO.
Wet government again was declar-
ing It's desire to establish friend
ship between the Soviet Union and
Poland based on firm, good and
neighborly relations and mutual
respect and - II the Polish people
should want It - on q basis Of mu-
tual alliance against the Germans
as the main enemies Of the Soviet
Union and Poland.
Joining Poland TO the Czecho-
si0vak-soviet treaty Of friendship,
mutual assistance and post.War col