The words used by Lloyd George on May 18, 1921, in the House of Commons, are a courteous abbreviation of the truth.  From the historical point of view, he said, Poland has no rights over Silesia.  The only reason for which Poland could claim Upper Silesia is that it possesses a numerous Polish population, arrived there in comparatively recent times with the intention of finding work, and especially in the mines.  That is true and is more serious than would be an agitation of the Italians in the State of San Paulo of Brazil, claiming that they had a majority of the population.

“The Polish insurrection,” said Lloyd George justly, “is a challenge to the Treaty of Versailles, which, at the same time, constitutes the charter of Polish Liberty.”  Poland is the last country in Europe which has the right to deplore the treaty, because Poland did not conquer the treaty.  Poland did not gain her liberty, and more than any other country should respect every comma of the treaty.  She owes her liberty to Italy, Great Britain and France.

In the future [said the English Prime Minister] force will lose its efficiency in regard to the Treaty of Versailles, and the maintenance of the undertakings on the part of Germany on the basis of her signature placed to the treaty will count increasingly.  We have the right to everything which she gives us:  but we have the right also to leave everything which is left to her.  It is our duty of impartiality to act with rigorous justice, without taking into account the advantages or the disadvantages which may accrue therefrom.  Either the Allies must demand that the treaty shall be respected, or they should permit the Germans to make the Poles respect it.  It is all very well to disarm Germany, but to desire that even the troops which she does possess should not participate in the re-establishment of order is a pure injustice.

Russia [added Lloyd George] to-day is a fallen Power, tired, a prey to a despotism which leaves no hope, but is also a country of great natural resources, inhabited by a people of courage, who at the beginning of the War gave proof of its courage.  Russia will not always find herself in the position in which she is to-day.  Who can say what she will become?  In a short time she may become a powerful country, which can say its word about the future of Europe and the world.  To which part will she turn?  With whom will she unite?

There is nothing more just or more true than this.

But Poland wants to take away Upper Silesia from Germany notwithstanding the plebiscite and against the treaty, and which has in this action the aid of the metallurgical interests and the great interests of a large portion of the Press of all Europe.  Poland, which has large nuclei of German populations, after having been enslaved, claims the right to enslave populations, which are more cultured, richer and more advanced.  And besides the Germans it claims the right to enslave even Russian peoples and further to occupy entire Russian territories, and wishes to extend into Ukraine.  There is then the political paradox of Wilna.  This city, which belongs according to the regular treaty to Lithuania, has been occupied in an arbitrary manner by the Poles, who also claim Kowno.