MARSHAL FOCH ON POLAND

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 30, 4 August 1923, Page 14

MARSHAL FOCH ON POLAND

."A POWERFUL BASTION,'!

Marshal Foch arrived back in Paris ■;-on. 20th May from his visit to Poland ,\ K and Czecho-Slovakia. In the account •- of his impressions which he has given ;•_:■•■ to M. Sauerwein, there are several :;; points of special interest, says the Paris .:-_c6rrespondenfc of the "Daily Telegraph." ■;.~-;The military organisation of Poland, %.§ndthe character of her soldiers make M'Uxe''country, in the marshal's opinion, !l-'a ;"powerful bastion," but a bastion •r^'wiich need not fear being seriously ",~;a£tAoked." He explained this statement :.i~jjvith a complete contradiction of the ,r;vie\ys which are repeated over and over '.V-'agsill iQ Paris. "Even supposing Rus- ■ sia- wants to attack Poland," he said, --i'she is not to be feared much for some .^years to come. As to Germany, do ■Cyptf really imagine she would dare to - undertake a war against an ally of V France?. It is hardly likely, I think. '/Some time will pass before she comes ... to that point—otherwise it would be '■" that we have wanted it." Speaking /"generally of Poland, Marshal Foch said «^the country was hard at work, and ---emphasised a point which is of par;;jocular interest for France from the Z Z T?oiirt of view of her military under- ;; standing with Poland and her own low •- Uirfch rate, namely, that v/ith her populaof twenty-eight millions to-day this ■ figure will probably be increased to forty millions in the course of the next quar.T!ter;:of a century.. The solution of the "J" difficulties over Danzig, without recourse ■■ ,to violence, depends solely upon Poland, lie considers, inasmuch as the whole prosperity of the port is founded upon the'country which forms its hinterland. In Ozecho-Slovakia, too, Marshal - Foch said he had found a strong army, ; kept admirably in hand by the French ; general who commands it, General Mit- ■.. telhanser. Lacking the brilliant quali- ~ ties' of the Poles, he considers that the "I Czechs have great technical knowledge - and a perfection of detail. They are "2 closely watching Hungary, and "in my ;; opinion they are not wholly wrong," added. France, as is well known, :s -v pursuing a very policy with reI- gard to the Hungarian request for the "'release of certain assets from reparation :'- charges in order that she may be enabled to carry out financial reconstruc- " ti6n. ; Caution towards Hungary is the basis of Marshal Foch's opinion about ■•'■ the country, which he expressed as fol- - lows: "I do not say that it is nece3.."sary to have- a preconceived mistrust of .'.nthe. Hungarians, but it is necessary to ■-■watch them closely for several years -.more." Feelings of revenge are foment""SigV.among them. They do not resign ;;J.hemselves to the new state of things, .—and oar friends are sometimes anxious. *?.It .would be an exaggeration to talk of 7. .i r.eal danger, but a prudent and firm "Tolicy is necessary,"