New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-06
HurYY1n$ into BpUsse1Oa s~heNd or
L1c Ser1na12 Army
Alexander KOnta Says
History of Like Pledges
Will Make Poles Wary.
B, ALEXANDER KONTA.


ART Of the Anglo-FreEch press campaign
in this country has been fanfare for
the generosity Of Nicholas II in promis-
ing IN case OF a Russian victory, the re.
establishment Of the Kingdom of Poland under
his oyerlordshp. All the old Polish nations rights
~, 70 be re-established: sort Of Polish millen-
mum is to be created under the Muscovite flag no
,oriously the emblem Of civilization sn9 liberty.
England and France are Justify shouting the
praises Of the Car Have they not always been
The friends OF Poland: OF course, few readers Of
.bese press dispatches stop to remember the facts
OF history u they did they would know that
Aprlo-French love Of the Poles has always been a
most plstonic sentiment, subject to change with
out notice according to political necessities The
broken hali-Dromises Of Napoleon l to the Poles
.re one ns,auc,; during the Polish revolution Of
1921 tic British government openly sided against
hen with Carbon as the bulwark against stir
ing revolutionary tendencies and during the
Crmcan War both France and England though
lighting Russia. sided with her on the Polish
question. vrici again was raising its head. To
sotr thes, champions Of liberty and justice Poland
las never beer more than political pawn, with
neat 0ea. Of cheap sentiment thrown in that was
70. allowed 70 interfere with the practical conduct
70 iut.rnatloha! affairs
CONCERNING THE RUSSIAN PROMISES OF
THE CURRENT YEAR.
And now Poland is to be free once mOre-under
the Russian flag Nicholas II has sworn It, Parsl-
lcl, are constantly being drawn just now by the
american press between The events Of lS7O-'Il ana
hose Of the present year. The papers are also
,eorintirr the memorable news Of century ago
Il is curious that these ingenious editors have
rot yet thought Of applying this parallel method
70 e,euts 81 Poland a hundred years ago and TO-
Isy. Il /, SO richly suggestive, the analogy is so
close. that will draw this parallel right here
When. iu 1912. Napoleon invaded Russia Car
Alexander J. IN great uncertainty Of the outcome
o. the War formally stated that whatever the
Pole do now 10 insure my success against the
enemy wiz at the same time forward the realIza-
lion OF their hopes" He promised them every
thing their patriotism desired-the re-establish-
meut of their Kingdom, autonomy, their own nag
their ov. separate army, the official use OF theh
language Polish civil! service, the recognition o.
heir religion as that of the state national UNI
yersue. and he kept his word in 1875 but after
ne Ru an fashion. Hc was crowned at Narsa"
As Gar Of Poland, he allowed the Polish parIa-
neat 10 mold three sessions, and then suppressed
it These COMPOUNDED Poles were taking his lib
upon the rights he had given them. Russian
methods OF government were re-established at
once They were 50 thoroughly carried out that
in 1887 d revolution broke out. 1t was promptly
suppressed. Of course, England approving heartily
Of ,h,. maintenance Of Metternieh's peace OF
Europe
THE PROMISES BROKEN BY HIS son AND
SUCCESSOR.
Tbi- was under Alexander's successor Nicholas
I. who forthwith turned the autonomous kingdom
back into d Russian province and proceeded to
break what was left Of his fathers promises he
undertook to destroy the Polish national spirit
root and branch by the most approved RUSSIA"
methods Of "pacifcaton." Thus the Poles were
goaded into the revolution of 1857 which ended IN
a veritsble orgy Of Russian atrocities AlVer inc
Cossscks were stated with blood after massacreS
for the mere lust Of killing, the work OF RUSSIAN
zaton was resumed with renewed zest Inc
Polish language was entirely forbidden It's use III
schools was made crime, it was not even aiio"eu
intercourse in public places, and Polish IhO'hei'
we're stripped naked and knouted Tor Ieaehins
their children to pray in Polish The wora i'Sei'
was stricken from the Russian vocabulary ."
forced in the kingdom. Tens OF thousands "''o
sent 10 Siberia without trial; the nobility was
sian hands And the national universities were
placed under the control of the Russian ponce
Thus was the promise of Alexander l, given o"
the eve Of great war, torn into shreds IN the
years Of security.
Alexander IL, who was like his namesake' AieH,
ander l. somewhat Of liberal, had hmseii
crowned at Warsaw on his accession. After inc
ceremony he pleasantly remarked to the assem-,
bled Polish dignitaries mo nonsense, gentlemen
His son, Alexander Ill, rabid Russian, desplslhg
Western civilization, carried the congenisl task
u justification
Nicholas II, after his Manchurian defeat anu
With revolution on his hands, started an
other reign Of terror in Warsaw in 1905. Then
frightened into promises, he gave Poland repre-
Sentaton in the Doums. He saw to 1t that th's
representation WAS pOwerless, however Prese"'
aay conditions in Russian Poland beggaf deserlP
non The illiteracy Of the people has risen TO ~
per cent under the Russian educationsl system
N Warsaw, the capital, it is 30 per cent Inc
populaee has been reduced to brutaiizing degree
u poverty and Russian landlords aud m"nui"e''