Poland's Rival Governments
When the Committee of National Liberation in Lublin decid.sd to be called the Polish Provisional Government it was hoped that Russia would not commit herself on the subject before the meeting between Marshal Stalin, Mr. Churchill and President Roosevdt. This hope was disappointed by the prompt action of the Soviet Government in accepting the claims of the Lublin Committee and proceeding to exchange envoys. Thus the situation has arisen which Mr. Churchill foresaw as an unhappy possibility—two rival Governments in Poland, one recognised by the Soviet Union, the other by Britain and America. There is little point in taking refuge behind the word " Provisional." When Poland is liberated a Pro- visional Government in the normal order of events would be just as much the de facto Government of Poland as the Provisional Govern- ment of France is the de facto Government of France. Under the circumstances now created, if the Russian forces drove the Germans out of Poland the Lublin Committee would advance behind them as the Government of Poland supported by the conquering army. What the Polish Government in London and its underground organ- isation in Poland would do then it is difficult to foresee. A situation would arise which would certainly be embarrassing toa us, though possibly also embarrassing to Russia, if in the interval the Allied chiefs had not reached agreement. It is equally difficult to see how the latter could reach agreement unless the present Polish Govern- ment, whose character Mr. Churchill " cannot applaud," gives place to one less intransigent. If such a change occurred there might still be some prospect of achieving a fusion between the rival Govern- ments. The fact to which the Polish Ministers have stubbornly shut their eyes is that Russia holds all the trump cards, and that they have at every point rejected the advice of the Allies to whom they look for support.
