The Polish Reverse.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16883, 10 July 1920, Page 8

The Polish Reverse.

If it is true that the Polish Government has been forced by the armies of the Russian Soviet Government to sue for peace, the course of the Polish attack upon Russia will have followed pretty exactly the forecast of Trotsky. Ho declared that Poland would have some initial success, possibly a large success, but that after a certain time defeat -would be inevitable, and there would be " nothing to show for the offensive, so far as Poland is concerned, except heavy casualties and greater misery than ever. For Poland is one of the poor countries, short of food and financially and economically sick, and in addition ravaged by typhus. On behalf of Poland it has been urged that Pilsudski's decision to attack Russia on a large scale, after arranging a treaty with* the Ukraine, was forced upon him by the certainty that the Bolsheviks would attempt to destroy Poland. The offensive began soon after the Bolsheviks made an offer to conclude a treaty of peace. The Polish Government had been encouraged to believe that the Allies would have to 1 support it, and that a vigorous offensive would carry the frontiers of Poland beyond those of 1772, and in the course of the campaign they did go far beyond those boundaries, and temporarily occupied country which has for 150 ;" years been Russian territory. AlI though opinion in Britain was divided I \upon the question of the propriety of l the Polish offensive, .*he supporters of the Poles were from the very beginning uneasy. "The Times," which cham- [ pioned the Poles, declaring that the at'tack upon Russia was a necessary mea- ■ sure of self-defence which the Allies ' should support as a check to the spread s of Bolshevist influence, modified its ; support by warnings to the Poles to - abstain from attempting too much or ■ going too far. Generally, however, the . Polish offensive was regarded as unwise , and even wicked, and it was significant > that the British Government disclaimed i all responsibility for it, and declared t that it had given no assistance. Un- [ fortunately, the Government tynd pre- ; sented to Poland in October last a coni siderable quantity of military stores, . although it is only reasonable to i s_ppose that it believed it was ' merely supplying tho means of self- , defence. The war has been unpopular in Britain, and the Government has . been severely criticised for allowing it . to continue. Hardly any country can ; so ill afford war as Poland, in view of . tho seriousness of her own internal sick- [ ness, and it has been urged against the t Allies that they could easily have pre- ; vented Poland from making trouble for : herself. For the trouble was sure to i come. Even if Poland had for the t present secured the expansion she aimed - at, nothing is more certain than that > Russia—perhaps after the passing-away r of Soviet rule —would forcibly take back . to herself the Russian territory thus - severed from her. The League of Na- ' tions Union maintains, that the case is 3 exactly of the kind contemplated in the D ; Covenant as referable to the League, 1 and that it was the business of the J Allies to enforce the eleventh article of s : the Covenant, which provides that any s ' war or threat of war is a matter of con- . ' cern to the whole League, which shall

take the necessary steps t-o safeguard peace. It, is to be Imped that this unfortunate war really is coming to an end, and that the Allies will in future I ta\-e some steps to make peace a reality j in Europe.