Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-05-14

tegic frontiers. The first partition Of
Poland was the idea of the Prussian
King, Frederick the Great. 1t started
with the establishment of Gordon
sanitaire'-an expression frequently
heard from Moscow now to prevent an
epidemic of plague, which had broken
out in Poland, from spreading into
Prussia.
Troops were sent there for that pur-
pose. Eventually, when 1t appeared to
Frederick that he could not get away
with the conquest under that fiimsy
pretext, he urged his powerful neighbors.
Austria and Russia, to divide the spoils
and the first partition of that inde-
pendent but badly ruled kingdom oc-
Cured. For several centuries there were
attempts by the powers east and west
of the triangle" to obtain permanent
foothold in this vitality strategic area
of Europe but never have the people
themselves been conquered.
In the peace intervals when the great
powers were preparing for bigger and
better wars of conquest, the nationals Of
the nations of the triangle" were stag
ing rebellions and revolutions which
were always ruthlessly suppressed. The
physical demonstrations were crushed
but the nationalist feeling has always
remained alive.
Source Of Present War. =.
Even the present war broke out In the
triangle when Hitler decided he could
with impunity extinguish the national
life of Poland. The organized resistance
OF the Poles was crushed in less than
month, but Hitler's action brought the
whole world against him. The world.
including the far-away United States, is
paying dearly today for Hitler's attempt
to extend the strategic boundaries of the
Reich to the east.
President Wilson recognized the i'm
portance of the "triangle's" fight for
life in 1917 when he issued his proposals
for the settlement of peaceful world
on clinical frontiers rather than on
strategic boundaries. Whatever mistakes
our World War President may have
made in handling the international
situation, he certainly put his finger on
the only possible solution of the Euro
pean problem when he forced the recog-
milton OF clinical boundaries and Great
ed new set of states on the principal
OF nationalities. 1t is safe to say that
had the present war not been precipi-
tated by the short-sighted policy of the
European leaders, these new states even-
tually would have overcome their grow
ing pains and would have become viable
independent states.
They themselves recognized that there
must be an economic unity among them
and endeavored to organize an eco
nomic union such as the Danubian Con-
federation. But the jockeying for power
on the part of France, Italy and Ger
many prevented such an accomplish
ment by diplomatic action. These three
powers agreed to the organization Of
such confederation provided, however,
that they individually had political con-
troll over it. AS far back as the summer
OF 1881 this plan came close to fruition.
1t was killed at the 18th hour when the
friction over the confederation between
the Rome and Paris governments
threatened the peace of Europe. These
two governmentszu the war Russia
still was politically ostracized-had
agreed on zones of political and eco
nomic influence in the triangle, but
could not agree to a constructive or
ganization of the smaller states in Gen.
trail and Eastern Europe.
History apparently teaches lessons
which diplomats refuse to learn.
Baltic States Cited.
Today the attention of the British
and American planners is concentrated
once more on the remaking of the map
OF Europe on the basis of strategic.
rather than clinical frontiers. There
is, of course, an apparent difference be-
tween the old peacemakers of the last
few centuries and those of today. In
stead of discussing outright annexations
they speak about the right of the people
themselves to determine their future.
Officially it sounds we'll.
But looking back only four years, it
is, in fact, nothing more than playing
the old game with different tools. The
Baltic states. created under the pressure
of President Wilson, were annexed to
Russia under the guise of popular
plebiscite after most of the re-
dictionaries is to say, the leaders
who insisted on the independence of
their republics-had been exiled to
Siberia or the White Sea.
1t would be grave mistake for the
policy-framers of the United States to
be emotional in discussing the future
of Europe. BY definition a diplomat
should be deprived of any sentiment or
emotion. AS much as we may like or
dislike the Poles the Russians or the
Balts and the rest of the people of Eu-
rope, the business of our policy trainers
is to avoid the recurrence of another
war within the next or the third
generation.
Establishing new frontiers in Europe
in accordance with the strategic needs
of some of the members of the United
Nations would serve no good purpose
but would prepare that strife-ridden
continent for a sad series of rebellions
and eventually wars While the possess
sion OF strategically situated islands in
the Pacific may discourage any potential
enemy from another aggression, history
has amply demonstrated that the re-
mapping of Europe on the basis of
strategic needs-regardless of what
pompous names these changes are being