Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-23
RUSSIA AND RELATIONS TO POLAND

see how the government at ST. Peters
burg treated this situation.
January 26, 1909, the council of min
listers decided to present to the duma a
project OF a law to de-
Districts tach from the Kingdom"
n.%..h.l term designating the
territory belonging to
Poland, according to the treaties of 1915.
several eastern districts comprising 1884,
600 Inhabitants. where there was a
minority Of orthodox (31O.O0O) Inmates
Greek Catholics). These belong to the
Ruthene race, and were to be brought
under a government known as Chelm.
under the authority of the governor gen.
eral Of Kiev. For century the POSSIBLE
ity of that amputation has been con-
templated many times. but none of the
cars. not even Nicholas 1. had decided
to consummate 1t. How Is II possible
that the government at ST. Petersburg
should permit itself to be led into taking
up the question again? Since the edict
ligious liberty. the Inmates have gone
over to the Catholics: in a few weeks
100000 have affirmed before the au-
thorities that they were not to be con-
SiUcTcu dS DctOHkHk 10 tie OTlHOuoA. "a
these. 10000 were residents of Chelm.
The government OF Chelm would inter-
dict from future adhesions to Catholicism
all who have not already returned, and
also the children OF mixed marriages. II
would cause the suppression of the Polish
language in the schools. Three ministers
in council voted against the project; the
president of the duma deemed 1t Inn
polite, the Polish club in the assembly
declared that it would withdraw If the
mr. VIZ or Tho M Poland
We're not only wounded In their patriotic
sentiments, but they saw in it a precedent
which would lead Russia to destroy. bit
by bit. the territory of the Kingdom
they felt wounded and inSulted.
The Poles prefer more 10 preserve their
territorial integrity than to participate In
the democratic conquests of the Russian
people in the duma. They do not care TO
their national gr;efs, nor to be mixed up
in the social conflicts of the empire. in
which by principle the Polish deputies
think they should keep aloof In 1903. in
the first duma, Poland responded with
zeal to the government initiative; In some
communes the vote was 81 to 81 in 100.
Thirty-six deputies were elected. to which
were added 10 Polish deputies from Lu-
thania and ukrania, and others from
June 3, 1907. reduced the number of
Polish deputies to II.
The congress of the zemstvos. by 16S
votes against 49, pronounced in favor of
the autonomy of Poland.
Polish The Poles asked in the
first duma the convoca-
ne4ucsts. ton OF limited diet,
which should sit at Varsovia, to which
should be submitted the control Of the
local budget, the organization OF schools.
the executive power, the foreign affairs,
the army, the customs. the post remain
ing entirely in the hands OF Russia. On
that point all Poles were IN accord. Inc
withstanding the objurgations OF the
German socialist democracy. demanded
autonomy.
The aristocracy Of Poland follows
policy of interest and repudiates all idea
of separation from Russia. based upon
the fact that Polish industries would be
ruined in such case. The zOllyereln with
Russia is precious. When Russia was
Poland profited thereby immensely. In
fifty years the industries of Poland In
creased tenfold. In consequence the no.
bility and the bourgeoisie capitalists
favored loyalist regime similar to that
in Austria Galicia. and were hostile to
revolutionaries. The chiefs OF the ma
tional democratic party-the greater part
certainly-are in accord with this policy:
The effective majority of Poland will
rally thus to a program OF non-separatist
autonomy In the duna it Is that opin-
ion which dominates the Polish club,
which has been characterized as "a group
Of autonomists conservative to the point
Of being socialists" and 1t is added, 1T
serves rather the interests of the Polish
agrarians." 1t can be said. then, in all
sincerity that the country favors Gus
toms union with Russia for an economical
understanding necessitatins political 10y
atty.
The Polish club in the duma has sub
mitted that economical accord with Rus
STA as an abandonment of claims Of in
dependence, as a concession. On the
government, compromise between the
communal regime in Germany and that
of England. and the restrained regime
Of the zemstvos which Russia proper
possesses since more than thirty years.
From 1908 to 1908 the Polish deputies
were so convinced of the advantages
which existed for Russia to grant them
autonomy in exchange for this active
LOYALTY that they undertook an energetic
campaign against the reyolutionaries.
But for q fact. the Poles have no
longer any hope; they nourish no longer
the illusions which were general and
strong throughout the country after the
interview at Reval. They hoped and
tersburg would change its policy toward
Poland.
Il 4
The situation in brief. is extremely
distressing for the unhappy Poles. In
the duma. despite their
Distressing attempt to make them
c..4. selves at home, they feel
oltuaIloA. themselves as strangers.
They are confronted in the duma by
a left that is hampered and uncertain in
It's action. by right that is distrust-
full, by an extreme right that is i'm
placable, by an extreme left that is hos
tile.
The Poles, however. may wait for an
opportunity. There is, besides, in the
future a question Of the neo-Slav, which
counts for, much in the duma of a re-
habilitated and reconstructed Russia.
And 1t should not be forgotten, least
Of all by the Poles, that Nthe question
of Polish autonomy was a subject OF
sympathetic discussion in the last Slav
congress. and will be given consideration
hereafter. There is sanother question
which may serve the cause of Poland,
the question of the German invasion
race invasion of Russia. The Russian
journals have recently invited attention
to this invasion: the Kraj. the Saint Pc
tersburskiia, the Wiedomasti of Prince
Uchtomski. the MOskowskiia, etc. At