The Northern Advocate “NORTHLAND FIRST” Registered for transmission through the Post as a Newspaper. THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 1945. ATTEMPT TO SOLVE POLISH PROBLEM.

Northern Advocate, 14 June 1945, Page 4

The Northern Advocate “NORTHLAND FIRST” Registered for transmission through the Post as a Newspaper. THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 1945. ATTEMPT TO SOLVE POLISH PROBLEM.

THE decision of the Big Three—Britain, the United States and Russia—to take steps to ameliorate the Polish situation may be regarded as further evidence of realisation that if world peace is to be expected effort must be made to remove causes or excuses for dissatisfaction on the part of one nation with its treatment by other nations.

Poland provides a case in point. The story has been told on many occasions, but it may be told again. When Poland was butchered by Germany, its Government took refuge in London, where it claimed to be the official administration of Polish affairs. In the course of time, there was set up in Poland another administration, known as the Lublin Committee.

This was the signal for the approach of an embarrassing situation. Britain recognised the London Polish Committee as the Government of Poland; Russia recognised the Lublin Committee. The London Committee stigmatised tjhe Lublin Committee as the puppet of Russia. The Lublin Committee branded the London Committee as the representative of an old regime which had had its day and could not claim to represent the majority of the people of Poland. Division of,this nature, with influential supporters of both parties, apart from the fact that Britain and Russia were in opposite camps at a time when it was most necessary that they should be firmly united, could not but create a lamentable situation.

Tne question came especially into prominence at the Yalta Conference attended by the heads of Britain, the United States and Russia. Though discussions were not given full publicity, it is understood that a serious view of the whole matter was taken. Finally there was liberated a report that the Big Three had agreed that steps should be taken to secure the election of a Polish Government on a broad democratic basis. This was not done to the satisfaction of Britain and the United States. Accordingly, when arrangements were being made for the United Nations’ Conference at San Francisco, Poland was not invited to send a delegation, the Lublin Committee not being countenanced as the representatives of the Polish people chosen by election as agreed upon at Yalta. Fuel was fed to the fire of discontent when members of a Polish delegation invited to Moscow to discuss the problem disappeared, no news of the members being received until, after some weeks’ delay, it was learned that they had been arrested on charges of conduct disapproved by Russia.

The unfortunate controversy could not be allowed to continue except to the detriment of the efforts which are being made to bring real peace to the nations. It is therefore gratifying to hear that the Allies decided to make a supreme effort to have the problem solved in a manner which should satisfy all but the hopelessly prejudiced on both sides. Britain, the United States and Russia have authorised British and American Ambassadors to Moscow and the Russian Foreign Commissar to consult members of the Provisional Polish Government and other democratic leaders at home and abroad on the reorganisation of the Polish Government on a broad democratic basis.

The purpose of the discussions by invited Polish representatives, whose names were published in yesterday’s “Advocate,” is to bring about the formation of a Provisional Polish Government of National Unity in accordance with the terms of the agreement reached at the Yalta Conference. Announcements of this decision were made simultaneously in London, Moscow and Washington. It is unfortunately true that elections of any description are frequently not in the best interests of a community, by reason of the pre-election methods adopted by partisans, but there seems to be no other means open to the Allies to ascertain public opinion in Poland. There will be entertained hope that the conference summoned by the Big Three will prove successful and that the fair land of Poland, which has been subjected to martyrdom down through the centuries, will be placed upon a footing approved by the nation as a whole.