The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1920. ANOTHER RIFT?

Timaru Herald, Issue 170295, 13 August 1920, Page 6

The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1920. ANOTHER RIFT?

•The best decision tliat was open to tliem seems to liave bee.u reached by the Allied Premiers in regard to Poland. Tliey will not seek to protect the Poles from the ordinary conseqiiences of u war which they would have, against all advice. If the Russians impose a peace on such terms, providing- mamlyfforx r their own future safety, as they have suggested, the terms can stand. But Poland must not be divided or enslaved.- If that is attempted the Allies will interfere by economic pressure, by sending- supplies and money to the Poles and to General vVrangel in the south, by every means, in short, except the despatch of troops. The exception, rendered necessary by reasons wilich we have before discussed, does not amount to an anti-climax. The threat made :s a powerful one in spite of it. If the Bolsheviks have any desire to repair the wreck and try out their ideas of government undexfair conditions in their own country, they will get out of Poland as soon as the} 7 have 0 assured its future peacefulness, and avoid the troubles that would be involved in an attempt to hold down millions of Poles, who would be aided by Allied munitions and gold in their constant uprising-s, at the same time that the Allied blockade was continued, and every Russian insurgent was assisted to be a still sharper thorn in the Bolsheviks' side. It is a reasonable agreement, and it will be most regrettable if it is shown that the French Government has chosen to depart from it,at one point. Great Britain has never assisted General Wrangel, who is fig-hting the Red forces in the Crimea. Before his offensive was commenced some weeks ago it was made clear to him that he would get no assistance from the British Government if he began it. He has had some of the guns and stores which were sent to his predecessor Deniken before March 'last, but the main part of these is in the Bolsheviks' hands. The British Government has stated that it will not help Wrangel now unless the Reds should, attempt the destruction of Poland. But the French Government is said to have declared that it will help him, without any delay, irrespective of wha fc the Polish terms may be. iThe communique which anounces -this decision states that Prance has been impressed by the military successes of' Wrangel, and apparently assurances have been given by him that, if he can form a Government with the approval of the Russian people, rt will honour the debts which Russia owes to Prance. The French people have reason to attach importance to these debts, because it has. been said that if they were paid the , amount of them would cover all that their country owes to other nations,

ind France does not know 'how .she will meet those obligations if the Bolshevik repudiation is to persist. But it seems vain to expect much from General WrangelJlis forces cannot be nearly so strong as those -winch Genera) Ueniken iiad before him. Such successes as lie lias had liave not extended far beyond the Crimea, and it is natural to suppose that they have been due mnmly, like tliose of Koltchak, Yudenitch, Denikeu, and the Poles before him, to the absorption of the main lied armies on another front. The real test of them is still to come. If the French announcement had to be taken at its apparent value it would prejudice the arrangements ■ for the Polish peace, and make the worst disaster for the Allies' influence by showing- them to be divided among- themselves. There is reason to believe, happily, that this .French, decision lias been belatedly reported, and has 110 meaningat the present stage. It was agreed by the French Government after a previous difference that united action, by the Allies was of the first importance, and we cannot believe that that principle has been forgotten.