760c.61/273
The Polish Minister (Lubomirski) to the Secretary of State
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the Legation has just received the following reply from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, E. Sapieha, to the note of the Department of State dated August 21:27
“The Polish Government acknowledges receipt of the United States Government note which was handed over to the Polish Government on August 23.
“The Polish Government expresses its sincere thanks for the sympathetic attitude of the United States to Poland in this war [Page 398] against the Bolshevik aggressors, and notices the generous efforts of the United States to bring about universal peace. The ideals of justice and freedom which have ruled the attitude of the American nation throughout the war and have directed the steps of the United States Government are undoubtedly responsible for the friendly advice contained in the note of the United States Government to Poland, as well as for the principles laid down in the note of the Secretary of State to the Italian Ambassador dated August 10.28
“Poland desired a just, lasting and equitable peace, and has not altered her attitude in consequence of her recent victory. Poland has not made war on the Russian nation, and has the most sincere desire to live on peaceful and friendly terms with her eastern neighbors. Peaceful relations between Poland and Russia will be easily established if the real spirit of justice and sound common sense dictate to both the mutual territorial concessions which, based upon the wish of the local population, the economic necessities and the national rights, will create a state of things that will render impossible a feeling of suffered wrong and future reclamations.
“The Polish Government, however, has the honor to draw the attention of the United States Government to the circumstance that the provisional eastern frontier laid down by the Peace Conference has not been respected by the Bolshevik Government. In spite of the diplomatic intervention of our allies, the red army has for a whole month advanced and ravaged territory which is admitted by a]l as being ethnografically Polish.
“Notwithstanding the sympathetic attitude of our allies, the Polish nation had to face the danger alone, and political events proved that it must in the first place rely upon its own military strength. If military operations necessitated the measures to prevent a renewed invasion of Poland, it could hardly be considered fair that artificial boundaries that do not bind our opponent should interfere with the military operations of the other.
“However, the Polish Government hopes that a speedy and just peace will put aside any difficulties which might arise in the case of further war. It is very gratifying for the Polish nation to feel that in the efforts to arrive at a just peace it has the support of the United States Government’s sympathetic attitude.”
Accept [etc.]