4189282584

n POLISH FORTNIGHTLY REYIEW June 1, 1944

n POLISH FORTNIGHTLY REYIEW June 1, 1944

Lord Win ster

As rcgards the Polish-Russian dispute, I do feel thafc tliat is a most unliappy business not only in itself, not. only because of its effect upon Polami, but because of the disillusionment which the matter must cause in Allled ranka. ,Under the Anglo-Russian Treaty of 1942 the two Powers agreed that

'‘they will act in accordance with the two princlples of not seeking territorial aggrandisement for themselves and of non-interference in the internal affairs of other States."

I say nothing of the bearing of the Atlantic Charter on this matter, because that has already been dealt with by previous speakers; but these are the words of the Anglo-Russian Treaty of 1942, Events in Poland and in the Baltic States are a very sad commentary indeed on that passage, and it is impossible to conceal the uneasiness which those events cause. I often read of much concern about whether we are prepared to go on with Russia after the war. I am most anxious that Russia shall be prepared to go along with us in pursuit of our professed ideas and ideała.

I do not want to say much morę upon thi3 subject, but I should Iike to add that I agree very much with what Lord Vansittart said yesterday, when he hoped that moderation would yet preyail. He also said that he hoped we should not adhere to the principle of treating our friends worse i.han our enemies. I am encouraged to think that moderation may yet prevail because Mr. Stalin, speaking in November, 1941, on Russian foreign policy said:

“ Russia’s first aim is to free her own territory and the second aim is to free the enslavod peoples of Europę and allow thcm to decide their own fate witliout any outside interference in their internal affairs."

If there is any enslaved country of Europę which de-serves to be freed and to be allowod to decide its own fate without outside interference it certainly is Poland. We went to war for Polish independence; we end it, apparently by agreeing to take 40 per cent. of her territory away and to offer her compensation in the shape of German territory.

1 have no tenderness of any sort for Germany, but 1 am apprehensive about such transfers of nalional territory for two reasons. First of all, because looking into the futurę I do not feel at all surę that in the futuro miblic opinion will continue to support such transfers of territory: and, secondly, I feel that such transfers always set up irredentist movements. We do create one in Poland. Poland will wish to regain the territories which she fecls have been taken away from her, and in Germany also there will be a movement to regain territories which have been taken away. Movements to regain lost territory very often appeal to the best people in the countries concerned and they always create sympathy in other countries. Time rolls on and people here say. “I have a great deal of sympathy about that." Suppos-ing someonc li ad taken Suffolk away from us, should not we want to get Suffolk back? That is the difficulty You create movements in the countries from which you have taken away territory which' eyoke sympathy in other countries. The truth of this Polish-Russian dispute is that our Government and the Allies are caught in a conflict between ethics and expediency. The Times of April 20 spoke of such an affair as sheer opportunism which would go far to disillusion opinion at home and abroad. Then it said, referring to these matters, that while we wish to adhere to principle regard must be had to the relative power of conflicting parties. My Lords, that is power politics and nothing else, and we must face the fact.

The Earl of Birkenhead

So far as our relations and the Russian relations with Poland and the other contiguous countries in the East go, I think it is far better to observe that discretion which I noticod was observeó by noble lords yesterday on this point. The whole matter, after all, is snb judice at the present time. I think l can say, with all your Lordships, that we hope that the Government will soon be able to tell us that this most dangerous pointę neural-f/ictue has been removed.    ,

The Earl of Perth -

The ąuestion of East Prussia has been raised in the debate and in conclusion T should like to make a few obscrvations about it, and perhaps say one word on Upper Silesia. I will take Upper Silesia first, because it seems to me that the noble Lord, Lord Noel-Buxlon, appeared to forget that a large part of Upper Silesia be-longed to Poland before this war, and in the German part there is a very large number of Polish inhabitants. As to East Prussia, I was in generał agreement with what fell from the noble Lord, Lord Vansittart. Apart from the strategie and economic reasons which the noble Lord gave for detaching East Prussia from Germany, a very strong case can be madę out on quite different grounds. First of all there are in Piast Prussia the land-owner3, who are German. They are those Junkers who have given so much trouble in the past, and whom the world would be woli rid of. Then there are numerous German officials in East Prussia, and a large intelli-gentsia based on the University of Konigsberg. But ąulte apart from tliese three categories, there still remains a large mass of peasants. From the researches I have been able to make, I believe these peasants belong to Polish stock, and not to German stoek. I use the word “ stock ” because scientists tell us we should not use the word " race.” I would like to glve proof of my argument. When, after the last war, the Polish corridor was established it was found th&t the majority of the inhabitants were in faet, of Polish stock. Therefore, provided our Allies are of the same opinion, I see no difficulty at all, and indeed very great advantage, in dcpriving Germany of East Prussia and in ridding that part of Europo oncc for all of the Junker Influence. Incidentally, I would hope that when that happens there would be a large measure of land reform and of education, because under the Junker domination the peasants have really been treated very much as serfs. and if they were liberated in the proper sense of the word I feel that they would be very good citizens of their new country.

I Rcprinted from Hansard, House of Commons, Vol. 400, Nos. 82 and 83 (24th and 25th May, 1944), and House of Lords, Vol. 131, Nos. 53 and 54 (25th anĄ.GGth May,

1944).]

P;lnt*d for łbo Polish Ml c litry of Informfctlon, Stratton House. Straiton Street.. W.l. bT St- Cl«n«nt» Prow. Ltd.. Portugal Street, LondOD, W.C.2.