The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-09-08
POLAND Of ITS
LARGER THAN ANY
EUROPEAN POWER

washington, d. c., SeJt. THE
Poland OF l715 was larger than any
other European country. with the ex-
ception of Russia Today 1t has no
political entity, says the National
Geographic society, at Washington.
D. c., in q statement issued today.
Two centuries ago It's domain reached
from the Baltic to the Carpathians,
and stretched from east to west for
a distance OF approximately SEQ
miles.
THE first partition Of Poland came
in 177z, when Prussia and Austria,
alarmed by the progress OF Russia in
maintaining the equilibrium OF
Europe, that all three powers read
just their territories at the expense OF
Poland" reads the societys bulletin.
Poland lay utterly helpless. She lost
about one-fifth OF her population and
one-fourth Of her territory. The Sec
ond partition. in 1792. reduced Poland
to one-third of her original dimen-
sions. with population OF about s.
was signed in 1876. The congress of
Vienna, in 1915. divided Poland Be-
tween Prussia. Austria and Russia.
with the exception Of Cracow. which
was erected into q republic embed
ded in Galicia. Posen and Gnesen,
with a population OF $4,000. were left
to Prussia. Austria remained in
possession OF Galicta. with its $780,
900 Inhabitants. IAthuania and the
Ruthenian Palattnatec continued to
be incorporated with Russia The
remnant was constituted ~ the So
called Congress Kingdom, under the
emperor OF Russia as the king Of Po-
land.
..In the Same year, Tsar Alexander
/, granted the new Kingdom a con-
stitution. which declared It to be
united to Russia. In the person OF the
tsar. as q separate political entity.
Poland retained its nag and q national
army. In 1880. following the OUT
military revolt took place In Warsaw.
This war lasted for ten months, and
at its conclusion the Congress king
dom was reduced to the position of a
Russian province. The last remain
ing remnant OF Poland's separate po-
Atical existence was Cracow. and It
was finally occupied by Austria IN
1916. Tho last attempt OF the Poles
to achieve Independence was in 1863.
It was marked by no real battle and
the uprising was soon repressed. The
national history OF Poland closes wfxA
this attempt at freedom. In 4816s by
ukase OF the emperor Of Russia, the
was absolutely tncorpor-
ated with that OF Russia, and the use
OF the Polish language Ia public places
and for public purposes was pro-
hibited.
RUSSIAN Poland contains the first
line Of defense OF the Russian em-
pire on its western frontier. The
lowlands. covered with forests
on the western bank OF the yistula.
offer a natural defense against an
army advancing from the west. and
they ara strengthened by q number,
OF fortresses on that river. The
center OF these latter II Warsaw.
'sThe Poles are rather Of medium
stature and well built Those in the
inclined to be fair. While well en-
dowed by nature they are today not
In that energy which char
actertxes the northern races OF
Europe, and In q sense Of unity which
hAo been the strength OF their present
rulers, ana tho reason - Obvi0uss For
several years past the German element
has been annually increasing. both In
number and In influence In Russian
Poland. From remote antiquity Po-l
land haa heon celebrated for the pro-
duction ana export Of grain. since
1875 there has been Q remarkable de-
vel0pment OF manufacturing enter
pEiso The railroads OF Russian Ro-|
land have an agsrsgate length Of IL
400 miles.
1.-THE entire administration Of the
province 10 under the governor-gen-
eral reading at Warsaw. After the
!nsurrection cf 1853 all towns with
lesa than 1000 Inhabitants were de-
prived of their municipal rights The
1lA0tiyo MuulctpAl councils were prac-
Eica1ly a6Qlaehed. and Russian ol1cefa1
nA41fNA4e4 IN their place The pFe1k
Rl1 &Qf11t0Na1a 1onnAn Cathol1o.