Evening star., 1944-08-20

ment, described him as fine old gen.
tleman who spent most of his life fght-
ing for the cause of Russia. The news
paper recalled that he had been educat-
ed in the pages school in st. Petersburg
(now LeningraO and had fought in sew.
eral wars for the Russian Empire.
Moscow is ready to accept and deal
with Marshal Mannerheim, who has
fought the Soviets since 1918, because
she realized he is popular with his peo-
pie and If he says the word the Firms
will accept Russia's tutelage without
murmur. The marshal in turn, having
lost hope of German victory or even
a stalemate and having seen the United
States abandon the Firms, is now willing
to accept Russias terms. He has no way
out except to hope that Finland will be
able to maintain some shadow Of auton-
omy in the family of the USSR.
Polish Situation Similar.
A similar situation is rapidly develop
ing in Poland. The Poles feel more keen.
ly their being let down" by the United
States and Great Britain than the
narSnneSS oil the Russians.
The western powers went to war be-
cause Poland's independence was being
jeopardized by the Nazis Poland was as
much Of symbol why the Allies were
fighting this war as Belgium was in the
World War. She was overrun in a few
weeks by the combined avalanche of the
German and Russian armies But she
never ceased fighting. There were Polish
regiments in the Maginot Line; there
were Polish aviators in England fighting
the 1910 and 1941 Nazi blitz; there are
now Polish divisions fighting in Italy
and France There is a Polish under
ground army of between 100000 and
10000 men in Poland
Although many of these fighting men
recall with bitterness that their last
hope OF resistance against the Nazis was
crushed by the Russian invasion Of Po-
land in 1899 at no time have they had
any deals with the Nazi conquerors, AS
soon as the Russian armies entered
Polish territory the Polish underground,
which kept in close touch with the
government in exile in London and had
representatives from that government
among them, fought on the side of the
Red Armies without hesitation. This
underground lacking modern weapons
and relying principally on what it could
steal or purchase from the German
! forces in Poland. was of considerable
assistance to the Russian Armies in the
capture OF KoWel, Grodno. Lwow and
Wllno. They did not bargain; they did
not require any assurances from their
lloerators about Polands independence.
Most of their leaders relied. however. on
the Atlantic Charter, which had guar
anteed their countrys full sovereignty
! at the end Of the war.
They realize that henceforth this il
only vague dream But having to
choose between the alternative of re-
naming lmpassive, striking deal with
the Nazis or helping the Russians with
out any deals" they unhesitatinsly
threw their lot with the Reds.
Feeling Against U. S.
Today, however, a strong feeling
against the American and British gov
- NAAAAANAh"o Al aCNCiOEaliS dlIlOIlR LIE ledQs
ers and spreading throughout the ma.
ton, and we are being accused of having
sadly fallen down on our pledges. The
political situation regarding Polands
future is not even considered by Po-
lands military men who are fighting the
Nazls. 1t is a question of equipment
which is causing this sentiment. Poland
is member of the United Nations and
1eeis that she should be on its pre-
ferred list Before Pearl Harbor the
United States announced it would offer
1ull lease-lend support to all nations op-
posing the aggressors, and the Poles feel
that they are entitled to this support
regardless of the front on which they
are fighting
When Polands Premier Mikola iczyk
informed the American Government last
June that the large Polish UNDERGROUND
groups needed military equipment for its
hight against the Nazis, he was told that
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