760c.61/326: Telegram
The Minister in Poland (Gibson) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 19—10:48 p.m.]
514. The military group which surrounds Pilsudski is engaged in a clearly defined movement to keep Poland from concluding peace and to make ready for new military undertakings. They are motivated by the fact that they see in this plan the only way to rebuild their own fortunes, which have been shattered. Through their paper, the Narod, and by conversation they seek to have it believed that the Riga negotiations are bound to fail; that to continue the war would be less disastrous than peace, from a material standpoint; that Poland has a chance now, with Wrangel as an ally, to clear up relations with Russia and obtain the rewards arising from rendering aid to Wrangel’s cause in its time of need; that it would be pusillanimous to desert General Wrangel now when he has started his undertaking; and that with the existing conditions facing Poland, she must make the decisions on these pressing problems for herself and not endanger her national existence by a useless effort to give heed to the conflicting advice which the powers give her. [Garbled group] is set aside ingeniously by explaining that the American Government either is misguided in making an attempt to preserve for Russia territories which Russia gained by violence and fraud or else is using these for trading purposes to gain the good will of the Government of Russia. In addition to carrying on extensive propaganda several agents have been sent by this group to Riga. They have minor positions on the peace commission and presumably they will seek to bring the negotiations to naught. With the ostensible purpose of reporting on the general situation, several officers have [Page 404] been sent to General Wrangel. There is a movement under way to despatch openly a diplomatic and military mission to the headquarters of General Wrangel. This mission [apparent omission] popular interest in Warsaw. It will demonstrate to the Reds that there is another string to Poland’s bow. The friendly reception which General Wrangel’s representatives have received here is being given quite a lot of publicity.
It is not my belief that this movement has seriously affected the situation. The reason is that the Polish people are utterly tired of warfare. They yearn for any degree of peace obtainable by negotiating with the Reds. In spite of this, this particular group, it must be remembered, control the governmental and military machinery and Pilsudski apparently has the devotion of the Army. In case the various parties in this country are permitted to drift about, each looking to a different power for guidance, rather than rallying for a united plan of action, it is possible that the military party, increased by these conditions, will out maneuver them.
[Apparent omission] there is an effort at Riga to impose terms which are objectionable.
What is reported above may be valuable in understanding the propaganda of a warlike nature and what may possibly result at Riga.