The chronicle=news., 1914-09-14
THREE NATIONS
HOPE TO GRAB
RUSSIAN POLAND

II Washington, Sept 14.-ln 17l6
Poland was larger than any other
European country, with the excep-
tion of Russia. but today 1t has no
political entity. Two centuries ago
its domain stretched from east TO
west for distance OF about 600
miles.
The fact that Austria. Germany
and Russia are all bidding for the
friendship OF the Poles at this time
makes the history of Poland of cen
siderable interest. These nations
have absorbed all of Poland. The
desire for separate national exist
ence is strong among all the Polish
people. Russia has offered the RuS-
sian Poles autonomy at the end of
the war with Germany. This is.
course, bid for the loyalty of the
subjugated people. Whether Ger
many and Austria have offered them
anything isn't clear from the dis
patches.
"The first partition of Poland was
in 1772, when Prussia and Austria,
alarmed by the progress of Russia in
Poland, suggested, as a means of
maintaining the equilibrium of Eu-
rope, that all three powers adjust
their territories at the expense of
Poland" says a bulletin issued by the
National Geographic society.
POLAND lay utterly helpless. She
lost about one-fifth of her popula-
| tion and one-fourth of her territory.
The second partition, in 1893. re-
duccd Poland to one-third OF her or
iginal dimensions with population
of about 100000. A third treaty
of partition was signed In 1896. The
congress of Vienna, in 1915, divid-
ed Poland between Prussia, Austria
and Russia, with the exception of
Cracow, which was erected into re-
public imbedded in Galicia. Posen
and Cnesen. with population OF
$40, 900. were left to Prussia. Aus
tria remained in possession OF Ga
licia, with its 800, 900 inhabitants.
Lithunia and the Ruthenian Pala-
tinates continued to be incorporated
with Russia. The remnant was con-
stituted as the so-called congress
kingdom. under the emperor of Rus
STA as the king Of Poland.
"In the same year. Tsar Alexan-
der !. granted the new kingdom a
constitution. which declared 1t to be
united to Russia, in the person of the
Tsar, as a separate political entity.
Poland retained its flag and ma
tional army. In 1880 following the
outbreak of the French Revolution. a
military revolt took place In War
saw. This war lasted for ten months,
and at It's conclusion the Congress
Kingdom was reduced to the position
of Russian province. The last re-
naming remnant Of Poland's se2ar-
ate political existence was Cracow
and 1t was finally occupied by Aus
tria in 1916. The last attempt or the
Poles to achieve independence was in
1868. 1t was marked by no real bat
tie and the uprising was soon re
pressed. The national history of Po-
land closes with this attempt at free
dom. In 1865, by ukase of the En-
percr of Russia. the government was
absolutely Incorporated with that oil
Russia and the use of the Polish Ian
guage in public places and for pub
lie purposes was prohibited.
Russian Poland contains the first
line of defense of the Russian em-
pire on its western frontier. The
marshy lowlands, covered with for
csts on the western bank OF the N'st-
vla, offer a natural defense against
an army invading from the west, and
they are strengthened by a number
of fortresses on that river. The cen
ter Of these rortresses is Warsaw.
"The Poles are OF rather medium
stature and well built. Those in the
south are dark and those In the
north are inclined to be fair. While
well endowed by nature they are to-
day not remarkable in that energy
which characterizes the northern rae
es of Europe, and in sense OF unity
which has been the strength OF their
present rulers. The reason is OBJ
vious. For several years past the
German elemeNt has been annually
increasing, both in number and influ-
ence, in Russian Poland. From re-
mote antiquity Poland has been cele-
brated for the production and export
of grain Since 1875 there has been
remarkable development of manu-
featuring enterprise. The railroads
of Russian Poland have an aggregate
length of 1 300 miles.
THE entire administration of the
province is under the governor gen
eral residing at Warsaw. After the
insurrection of 1863 all towns with
less than 1000 inhabitants were de-
,f thoir NH N 1 rlnal riphts The