TROUBLE IN THE BALTIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20366, 21 September 1929, Page 8 (Supplement)

TROUBLE IN THE BALTIC.

THE POLISH PROBLEM.

Joseph Conrad, himself a Polo by birth, in ono of his short stories published a few years before the outbreak of war, described Poland as an undying nationality, " not so much ulivo as surviving, which persists in thinking, hoping and suffering in its grave, railed in by a million of bayonets and triple-sealed with tho seals of thrco great Empires," Tho fate of Poland after tho Congress of Vienna in 1815, cold bloodedly dismembered and divided between Germany, Austria and Russia, has always aroused tho sympathy and indignation of Englishmen, and nothing was more certain in tho overt of un Allied victory than that Poland would become onco again an independent State, and that she would be given an outlet to tho sea. So it happened, but, as Sir Robert Donald, author of " Tho Polish Corridor," points out, tho solution which was ideal in theory has worked out most unsatisfactorily in practice. In tho first place to givo Poland access to tho Baltic meant the cutting off of East Prussia from tho rest of Germany. This mutilation which deeply wounded German pride and impoverished tho country, has provoked a bitter resentment which cannot fail to bo a constant menace to the peace of Europe. Socondly, tho Polish " Corridor," Mr. Lloyd George's term for the narrow passago to tho sea, is a tangle of nationalities differing in character, religion, education and political outlook.

In the third place, Upper Silesia; next to tho Ruhr the richest and mc)st concentrated area in Germany, would thus fall into the hands of Poland, though the population was overwhelmingly German in race and sympathies.

Attitude of the Powers

This was the knotty problem which faced Mr. Lloyd George, President Wilson and M. Clemeiiceau. The attitude of France in tho matter was unshakable, and not surprising. Anything that weakened Germany pleased France, so M. Clemenceati supported tho claims of Poland through thick and thin. Britain pressed for a plebiscite in Upper Silesia in accordance with President Wilson's muchtrumpeted policy of self-determination. Curiously enough, however, the man who had propounded this policy was most reluctant to have it applied in the case, of Upper Silesia, and it was only Lloyd George's pertinacity which carried the dav.

Even then, when despite all kinds of political engineering the plebiscite resulted in favour of being attached to Germany, the interpretation given to the latter part of tho Treaty condition that " regard will be paid to the wishes of the inhabitants as shown by the vote and to tho geographical and economic conditions of the locality," practically reversed the popular vote, over-rode the plebiscite and gavo two-thirds of all the industrial wealth to Poland.

Poland's Great Waterway

The Vistula, Poland's majestic waterway, constitutes another tan'glc; in the complicated situation. Before the war the German authorities spent much money in improving the navigation of tho river. Tho Polish authorities, according to Sir Robert Donald, are not even maintaining those improvements. "Conservancy works are inadequately carried out. Floods have free play, sand is washed down, protective works aro destroyed, tho river deteriorates."

The rich West Prussian farms on the left bank are therefore now in constant danger of inundation; navigation has suffered, for, as there is no proper dredging, sandbanks arc numerous; the draught of (he vessels has had to be lowered considerably, while, owing to greater risks, traflic on the river is steadily decreasing. The Poles, therefore, by this laisser faire policy are injuring themselves as well as their Prussian neighbours, and the Vistula, instead of being a source of life, is becoming a source of danger. At the end of tho Corridor lie the city and port of Danzig. Much wrangling took place at the* Peace Conference over the question of its ownership. Tho French wished to see it annexed by Poland, but eventually a compromise was effected, and Danzig was created a free city under the protection of the League of Nations. Never was there such a misnomer. This " free " city is burdened with four constitutions. or charters: (1) That imposed upon it by the Treaty of Versailles; (2) the Danzig-Polish Convention negotiated by tho Allied Powers; (3) the local constitution; and (4) tho Covenant of the League of Nations, It is under six Governmental authorities, including its own Senate, the Polish Government, the High Commissioner appointed bv tho League, and tho wliolo League itself.

The Creation of Gdynia

This free city is "at tho mercy of Polaud by land and of tho Allies by sea. It has no means of defence, either military or naval; it has little or no control over its own customs. Its railways are controlled by Poland, and tho consent of Poland is necessary to raise a foreign loan."

Vet despite tho power which Poland wields in Danzig, patriotic aspirations wore not satisfied until Poland had a port of its very own. " Hence the bold adventure in building a port in a bay 11 miles from Danzig." It was not an ideal site. There is no deep water, no natural protection from the sea. Gdynia is not, like Danzig, at tho mouth of a river. There was no means of communication, not even a railway. Yet such is Polish enthusiasm —and extravagance—that in five years a miracle was accomplished and " a now port with docks, wharves, warehouses, modern equipment, has'arisen on the sand dunes of Gdynia, and has taken its place among the sea-ports of tho world.' A mushroom town has sprung up beside tho port, with services installed at staggering cost. Tho result is magnificent considered as a courageous expression of Polish nationalism, but—it is very deplorably bad business.

Conclusion ol the Matter

At present, according to the author, the Corridor is the most menacing storm centre in Europe. " Every demerit associated with the genesis and the provocation of war, challenges you: distrust, jealousy, the spirit of envy, and the spirit of rovonge, unjust treatment of minorities, racial hatred." According to the German view, the present Poland is merely a living symbol of tho rage and vindictiveness of France. " When the time comes," says an American writer, " it must go, and Germany's dismembered parts must bo restored to her."

" The Polish Corridor is a disquieting book which merits tho closest attention of all interested in world politics. Will tho wiser counsel of mutual toleration prevail, or will the old threat of " trouble in the Balkans" be replaced to-day by trouble in tho Baltic ? " Tho Polish Corridor," by Sir Robert Donnld, G.B.E. LL.D (Thornton Butterworth).