Tchitcherin's reply is characteristic of the Russian intellect. From its
peculiar point of view it displays much dialectical ability. It might be said justly enough that throughout the negotiations the Russian diplomatic messages have shown a verbal felicity beyond that of the messages from our own side. Where the Russians fail, as is their national habit, is that they are not practical. No literary glibness can disguise the silliness or wickedness, as the case may be, of the original Russian pro- posal that whereas the Polish army should be reduced to 50,000 men, the mob of armed workers to be created in Poland at the dictation of Moscow should number 200,000. It must never be forgotten that when the Moscow Soviet speaks of a " worker " it means a Communist, a man who believes in the " dictatorship of the proletariat." By a curious lapse in his argument, un- worthy of the general verbal ability of the Russian messages, Tchiteherin admits this : " We might point to the fact that the workers in Poland have for. a long time been the one force steadfastly opposed to the Polish Government's policy."
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