Paris Peace Conf. 184.01102/6
Professor A. C. Coolidge to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
[Received January 28 (?).]
Sirs: I have the honor to report that I have received from Lieut. Foster in Warsaw a letter dated January 9th, from which I enclose the essential paragraphs:
[“]Politics
The Coup d’Etat that you have read about in the papers most probably is considered by everybody as being a farce. It was the [Page 230] creation of a few men only, Prince Eustache Sapieha being at the head of the affair. None of the details had been worked out and none of the other parties knew of it. Three members of the ministry were placed under arrest on Monday night by a small number of the Milice who had been brought into the scheme. They then placed the Chief of Staff of the army, General Szeptycki under arrest instead of simply guarding his dwelling as had been planned. He pointed out what it would mean in the way of demoralization to the armies now fighting if he did not resist arrest and the Milice let him go. He went at once to Pilsudski who had the ministers released and Sapieha arrested but Pilsudski realising that there was a demonstration against his ministry sent his Chief of Staff at once by special train to Cracow to get Paderewski and bring him to Warsaw. Paderewski and Pilsudski have been in conference since Tuesday and the report is that the possibility of a coalition ministry being formed is very good. Nothing has been said as yet and nothing may be actually done until the 12th when a general meeting is to be held of delegates from Posen, Galicia, Pomerania and Warsaw. The Coup d’Etat was not directed at Pilsudski, for whom there seems to be a general respect as a patriot if not for his political ability, but against his ministry which without doubt was absolutely inefficient—all save the ministers of Finance and Ravitaillement whom Kellogg reports as being able men. These two men would not join the ministry and have been serving outside. A Conservative said to me today that his party was the only one that the Pilsudski government would talk with and therefore he had hopes that if some sort of a coalition was decided upon that the Conservative party would be recognized in the Ministry. It is reported, however, that Pilsudski at first would hear nothing but Socialists. I will try and get in touch with some of those men tomorrow and may be able to send you a more detailed report.
Frontiers
Have had only general discussions of which the general trend are that that is a matter for the Peace Conference and the pressing thing now was to form a stable government and equip an army that can hold off the Bolsheviks.
Socialistic Theories
Discussion of the cutting up of the large estates for division among the peasants has brought several interesting points from the owners of large estates, both in Cracow and Warsaw. They state that the peasant in the first place is lazy and would not work his ground properly. This they prove with instances of peasants owning lands in the vicinity of their properties or of land that they have rented out to the peasant for periods of six years. Secondly agriculture demands a certain amount of intelligence and knowledge that the majority of peasants have not got. Beet growing was particularly instanced. Thirdly is the question of implements and fertilizers which the peasant cannot afford for a small tract of land. In answering the question as to the possibility of educating the peasant it was stated that the minute that a peasant could read and write he was through with farming. The answer of these large estate owners to the question of the disposition of these large estates was [Page 231] taxation at a rate that would necessitate careful and intensive cultivation or else the sale of the property by those who did not wish to farm their property. One large property owner, only, advocated the parcelling out of estates and I learned afterwards that his property had been practically ruined by the war!
Pogroms
I am enclosing a series of newspaper articles taken from Jewish papers and gotten out by a Jewish organization that belittles certainly the reports of the Pogroms. The opinion seems to be that these so called Pogroms are nothing more nor less than bandit raids and that they hit the Jews particularly because in the towns the Jews are the small store owners and it is the small merchandise that the bandits take.
Bolshevism
This is a very serious and important subject and one that should receive immediate attention. The Poles all say “Why discuss politics and frontiers when the Bolshevists are practically at our doors and there will soon be no Poland left about which to discuss. What we need is the moral support of Allied troops and right away.” Lemberg is three quarters surrounded just the railway line being open and trains passing over this line are constantly bombarded. The city is practically without food, the water supply has been cut off and there is no coal. Women and children are defending the city with the men, for it is understood that if the town falls it is to be turned over to the entering troops for pillage. The tales of death and torture by the Bolshevist troops for those who have come in their path are beyond belief in their barbarity. It is easy to understand their fear with troops threatening from the East and North and Germany just balancing on the edge.
In Cracow the streets were crowded with unemployed and it is said that the people do not want to work. The Austrian system of pensions by which the soldier drew not only his pay but also 120 crowns a month for a wife, 80 crowns for a mother and 50 crowns for each child has demoralized the people. They have tasted of good things without effort and they are not anxious to work again. It is reported that stealing is rife. The high cost of living has also upset conditions. Where a servant has to pay 500 crowns for a pair of shoes she has demanded more pay in order to clothe herself. Prices are very high everywhere for food and clothing. The housekeepers and hotel servants are now on strike here in Warsaw demanding exorbitant wages.
Military
The army is divided between the three fronts—Germany, Ukrania and Vilna. Its actual strength I have not determined but the impression is that with supplies of equipment and ammunition an army of about 500,000 could be put into the field in a comparatively short space of time, making use of the men returning from the Russian, Austrian and German armies. It is clothes and shoes as well as munitions that are actually lacking. They have German guns but no German ammunition; Austrian ammunition, but no Austrian guns etc. It has been stated that a general mobilization is [Page 232] also feared on account of the number of men of bolshevistic tendencies that would get into the army. On the whole the country is considered to be strongly anti-bolshevistic and all that would be necessary would be a very small detachment of Allied troops to relieve the situation. Sort of a steadying nucleus. Every one is anxiously waiting news of General Haller6 and his troops which are reported to be on the way. They believe that these troops alone might save the situation. An officer at Cracow spoke of three wounded men from his regiment that had just returned from the Ukranian front who said that the Ukranian troops immediately gave way before any decided resistance or attack and that the peasants in those armies were tired of fighting. German and Austrian officers are reported as in command and that communication with those countries is kept up by airplane. A train of 200 cars of food supplies en route from Ukrania to Austria as payment for war supplies was caught by the Government of Cracow according to a report in the Warsaw papers tonight. Four Jews arrived in Cracow from Russia well lined with Bolshevik money and people said that the effect in the town was felt almost immediately. It is all of that as well as the realization that they cannot expect much assistance from outside until a stable government of some sort is formed that lends hope to good results from the conferences now under way. Paderewski had a wildly patriotic reception but that does not mean necessarily that he is considered as a possible successor to Pilsudski.
All of the above is hardly of sufficient detail to be of great value but I hope that it will give you a bit of an idea of the conditions as they impressed me on arrival and also of the attitude of many of the people. I have met only those of the middle and upper classes as yet. I hope to arrange with the former secretary of the American Consulate to do work for our Mission. Someone to run around card and letter leaving and who knows the people and the city is very necessary. He can also read the press for me and knock around the lower parts of the city as well. He is now in the employ of the Spanish Consulate handling whatever American correspondence that comes up but it takes but one hour of his time daily which would be no inconvenience to us and I don’t think that his employment would be considered as meaning diplomatic recognition in any way as he is a Pole. I would give much to take over the old consulate, however, as it would be ideal for sleeping quarters and office space for our Mission.
A bit of gossip is that the upset in Posen at the time of Paderewski’s arrival was due to his being accompanied by Col. Wade of the English Mission. It has since been proved that Col. Wade had orders to accompany him though the newspapers came out with a statement to the contrary.
Later
Nothing has developed from the Pilsudski-Paderewski conference and it is said that Pilsudski still is holding out for an entire socialistic Ministry. The Coup d’Etat has strengthened the present socialistic government on account of its failure. If anything results from the present conferences it might almost be called a success, however. [Page 233] The real uniting factor will be the approach of the Bolshevist armies. Vilna is definitely in the hands of the Bolsheviks and Lemberg cannot hold out much longer. I think that all the parties are beginning to realize that help from the Allies cannot be expected until some sort of a coalition government is formed and most probably this will be the result of the meeting of the delegates from the various parts of Poland “to-be” that takes place on the 12th. The men from Posen have already arrived Seyda at their head. It is curious the way that many people of all sorts and kinds speak about the political ability of the Posen Poles and their greater experience. There seems to be much confidence placed in them. This is of course due to their German education and comparative freedom in Governmental matters during past years whereas the Russian Poles have been given practically no opportunities. The attempt of the present socialist Ministry is an example of inefficiency.
The old Milice formed under German occupation has been replaced by a new Milice of Socialists almost entirely and this organization is being extended throughout Poland. How much it can be counted on is therefore a question. Last night there was shooting outside our house and inquiry brought out the fact that a guard down the street thought he saw someone entering the bank he was guarding and so fired several shots. The guard in front of the English Mission’s house thereupon shot too just so as to let the other guards know that they were there on the job. Thank Heaven we have no guard outside of this building.”
I have [etc.]
- Commander of Polish troops on several fronts during the war.↩