The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-08
PoLAND's PLACE IN THE WORLD.
Its Power Two Centuries Ago and Its inhu-
ence In Art and Science To-day.

ence III hrt ana Scteuce Ip-uhy'
To THE EDITOR or The SUNNI! II afforded
me a great deal Of amusement TO read an
article by Countess Schimmelmann which
recently appeared In ono OF the daily papers.
The good Countess outlines n programme OF
education for American women. asserts TINT In
this country every book published In Europe is
accepted rs authority. warns people not to read
a volume on European nations In which.
according to Countess Schimmalm ann. tho
Polish nation ia represented a. tho ruling
power In Europe. and then proceeds to make
this extraordinary statement; There Is per-
haps no other nation In Europe that always
has been and Is as small and unimportant as
the Polish"
Had the Countess even an elementary knowl-
edge OF. history and geography she would know
that Poland was a great and imp3rtGnt
Al the height of tts prosperity lAlNtn-AN lth
century the Polish territory stretched from the
Baltic Sea On the north to the Black Sea on the
sGStn; and o, i kisT d pru ;ss s %s th ioc TSls f. TIT i,
BrapdsnbnrG was under Polish snzsIainty and
f ins hisGs"r q f MSssnach e, the ea rfu tselr n rslrni
contribution kneeling before the Polish. King
in the market place at Cracow' the capital Of
a great political crime deprived Poland Of, it's
independence. But even after that event .Po-
lish ~leRions frequently and gloriously remind
ed Europe OF the existence Of the proud nation
Of cavaliers. The country which sufIer red mis-;
fortunes. with 40 much courage, fortitude and
hope had and has The admiration OF all noble
and thinking people.
To-day. while not a ruling power, the Polish
nation occupies a worry prominent place In the
world OF science. ar. and politics. Polish must
clans and. singers bring credit TO the artistic
abilities OF the nation In all parts OF the. globe;
the Polish school Of painting IL admired In Ger.
many. France and Italy as much for it's brilliant
coloris as its originality. or late. Prime Minis.
ters OF Austria were Poles, like G~oluchowski,
Badeni. Kinski and Others. One OF the Minis.
ters OF the German Empire Is a Pole.
The, Countess, who claims to have been q
court lady. certainly knows what high social
much influence II has directly or indirectly on
politics. art and even. science. In a measure.
Poles are n power In the aristocretic circles OF
European capitals. The Radziw =, the
Iotockis. Caartoryskis. the T~yszkiewiczs,
Sapiehas. Lubomirakis. and many. many
receive In their exclusive salons at
Vienna. Paris, Berlin. Warsaw and other places
the creme de Ia creme OF the diplomatic. artistic
and aristocratIc world. The annual Polish hall
at Vienna Is attended by Archdukes and Arch
duchesses. and everybody knows that the
not honor many balls with their presence.
The lack Of knowledge Of history and OF the
present situation in Europe Is. no doubt. re-
sponsihle for Countess Schimmeimann's mis-
statement. for | do not suppose for a moment
that an good and charitable "A woman would In
tentionally hclittle a nation OF heroes and
martyrs In the past, which at present gives he
world its full quota OF. talented and dis
tinguished men, II. DE HrTozowICz.