Extracts from a memorandum by Joseph P. Walshe
for Eamon de Valera (Dublin)
'The Russo-Polish Situation'

1. The Polish Consul-General came to see me a few days ago. He had been in London and had had talks with most of the members of his Government. He told me that they were very perturbed, indeed, about the present Russo-Polish situation and all the grave issues which it involved. He said that his Government would be very grateful to you if, at some early date, you found it possible to express Irish sympathy with the Poles in their great distress. His Government believed that such an expression of sympathy from you would have a very good effect in the United States.

2. There is a distinct change taking place in the attitude of the British Conservative reviews (though not yet manifested in the daily Press) in regard to Russo-Polish relations and their repercussions on the general interests of the United Nations. The British are beginning to realise that the Atlantic Charter and the other numerous statements of their war aims will be reduced to ridicule if Russia is allowed to impose her will on Poland by seizing 70,000 square miles of her territory and placing a Government of her choice over the Polish people in what remains of pre-war Poland. British apprehensions, at the moment, are probably chiefly founded on the reactions likely to be provoked in the United States against the whole moral edifice raised by the United Nations. The Poles (some four or five millions of them) are said to have considerable influence on elections in the eastern States. That influence might easily become a determining factor in the future career of President Roosevelt, and, that being so, the President cannot afford to accept the Russian thesis with the same indifference as is shown by the daily newspapers in Great Britain. We are, clearly, on the eve of a serious internal crisis in the relations between the Allies, and, inasmuch as the fate of a small nation (in power at least) is involved, it may be in our interest to consider whether or not we should take sides openly. Our own position in regard to the British occupation of portion of our territory is involved – though somewhat remotely, and Mr. Gray's recent talks with American journalists in regard to the Six Counties seems to be a factor imposing upon us a fresh review of the operation of power politics vis-à-vis small nations.
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4. The foregoing summary¹ represents the succession of events, juridical and factual, leading to the present deadlock. They illustrate what has happened so frequently before in history – that, when a great State becomes overwhelmingly powerful, she throws aside all respect for Treaties and takes what she wants by force. By contrast with the more recent history of Britain and the United States, Russia makes no attempt to establish a moral basis for aggressive action against peoples and territories. She has calmly and deliberately challenged all the high-minded motives of her allies, and, incidentally, she has been able, by so doing, to create considerable division in the public opinion of Great Britain and the United States. She has disturbed the unity of the Allied Nations and she has put their Governments on the horns of a dilemma from which they can only escape with honour by rejecting the principles underlying the Moscow attitude.

5. Of course, there is another important question still remaining to be examined in relation to the Russo-Polish dispute. What is the constitution of the population of that part of Poland seized by Russia? The 'Times' of 12th January says that, on a liberal estimate, there were hardly more than two million, five hundred thousand Poles east of the Curzon Line² in a total population of over eleven millions. The 'Catholic Herald' says that there are thirteen million inhabitants in this area, with over five million Poles, the remaining inhabitants being Ukrainians, White Russians, Jews, etc. Over four million belong to the Roman Catholic Church. The 'Catholic Herald' is probably more influenced in its statistics by the members of the Polish Government in London than is the 'Times'. Russia, will, of course, take advantage of the confusion and discrepancy in regard to the racial elements in the population. She can at least say that she will be better able, in an area of such mixed populations, to protect them than would a weak state like Poland.

6. Russia also – apparently without protest from her allies – is going to take over the three Baltic States. Lithuania is almost exclusively Roman Catholic, and the other two States have a large minority of Roman Catholics. All authorities are agreed that, taking the area east of the Curzon Line and the three Baltic States together, some 8½ million Roman Catholics will have passed under the power of Russia. This is another factor which is bound to inflame the present crisis and to cause grave misgivings at the Vatican and amongst American Catholics. All things considered, it would not be surprising if, as a result of the present situation, Britain and America revised their intentions as to the fate they have destined for Germany. Indeed, an earlier end to the war would not be an unlikely consequence.
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