THE POLISH SITUATION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160710, 24 July 1920, Page 4

THE POLISH SITUATION.

American opinion, as expressed in the New York Times about two months ago, correctly gauged the Polish situation. The forward Polish movement, it was suggested, might revive the national spirit of the Russians; and that, instead of undermining the Bolsheviki, it might pour fresh blood and spirit into the Soviet organisation, and might react in an unexpected manner on the national spirit and common action of all Russians in defence of their territory against invasion. That is just exactly what has happened. A cable from Copenhagen yesterday .stated that it is reported from Kovno that a strong national spirit prevails, a Bolshevik general declaring: “We are not Bolsheviks, but Russians, fighting the Russian nation’s enemies.” Whatever may be the personal views of the general in question concerning Bolshevik principles and aims, we can quite believe that he expressed the views of the untutored and meekly submissive Russian peasant when he said, “we are fighting the Russian nation’s enemies.” That is doubtless the slogan which the Bolshevik leaders have made good use of to rally the ignorant Russians to their standard. It is more than likely that the project for an armed Bolshevik movement westward against Poland and the rest of Europe was not one of choice with the Soviet leaders, but a matter of necessity with them, as the only way of trying to save communism. Soviet Russia has become badly entangled, 'and its political and economic failure has compelled the Lenin-Trotsky regime to threaten the Allied World with ah armed invasion to restore their fortunes. The foolhardy advance by the Poles into Russia afforded the discredited Soviet leaders the very opportunity they were looking for, and they seized it, impressing upon the submissive Russians the necessity to fight the nation’s enemies, which they are doing, either ignorant or forgetful of Bolshevik misrule and failure. Mr Lloyd George, however, does not regard the Bolshevik invasion of Poland as a movement inspired by a spirit of Russian nationalism, but as a dangerous Bolshevik advance, imperilling the foundations of society and the peace of the world. And he says the Allies must go to the assistance of Poland. Under the Treaty of Versailles the Allies are bound to defend the integrity of the Poland they assisted to create, though they warned the Poles that they accepted no responsibility for any aggressive action they might take, and Marshal Foch himself discouraged it.