Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-29
GERMANY FACES TASK
IN HANDLING POLAND
World Ia Waiting to Sec How Empire
VIII Solve Its Delicate
Problem.
RUss1A's PROGRAM FAILURE
For Forty Years Gar Has Tried to
Make Ii Russian Country, but
Polish Spirit Still Is Dominant
Among People.

Among People.
LONDON August 2S-Tho German
sweep through Russian Poland. which
at first centcred attention on the brill
liancy Of the military movement. is now
being viewed for the tremendous effects
it has brought about territorial. eco
nomic and political, in that locality.
Polish quarters here have summed up
some OF these changes. drawing their
data largely from the writings OF r.
Dmcwski. for many years the Warsaw
member of the Russian Duma and the
spokesman there for the Polish element.
While a member of the Duma. Mr..
Dmowski has been a severe critic or
the Russian regime. so that his view
OF conditions has the apparent merit
of being independent while at the same
time it comes from one intimately
familiar with the countr.- which the
Germans have now ovcrrun. Some OF
the more striking changes resulting
from tho German occupation are these:
The three branches OF Poland now
united under German authority-Ger-
man Poland, Austrian Poland and Rus
sian Poland-havc population that
gives Poland sixth place, in point OF
rank. among the powers OF Europe. II
comes next TO italy. and exceeds in
numbers all the Balkan states put to-
gether-Bulgaria, Serbia. Greece and
Roumania: exceeds also all the Scandi-
nav!an and Dutch countries united
Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Holland,
and exceeds two OF the next larger
countries, Spain and Portugal together.
This does not refer TO the area OF re-
cent military operations, but TO the
whole range Of called Poland" as II
has been divided up TO this time among
Russia. Germany and Austria
ONE OF MOST DENSELY
POPULATED SECTIONS
Some of the British observers COM
pare the area of German occupation
with that OF the allies in South Africa
and the Pacific islands. But the latter
are tropical wastes recently taken over
for colonization, whereas. Mr.. Dmow-
ski shows that Poland is ne OF the
NOSE densely inhabited sections OF Eu-
rope. averaging thirty-Nve persons TO
the square kilometer, or more than the
thickly populated districts Of France.
1t is also one OF the richest sections OF
Russia, with extensive banking. indus
trial and commercial organizations, coal
mines and agriculture, largely in the
hands Of the Polish inha bitants Even
the policy OF Outstanding the Polish
districts. which has been carried on
for some years, has not changed the
character Of the native people, which
remains strongly Polish.
Tire three parts OF this extensive
Polish region now brough: together
are: Prussian Poland. including the
four provinces OF Posen, West Prussia.
East Prussia and Upper S!les!a. with
population OF 100000 o. which $500
are Poles: Austrian Poland, comprising
Gal!c!a and Lower Silesia, with s.4oo GOO
population, 90 which about half are
Poles; Russian Poland, including the
province OF Poland with 100000
population, chiefly Poles. and what are
known as the annexed provinces OF
kovno. wilma. G-odno. Minsk Mobile
and T!tebsk. having a conglomorate
population of little and white Russians,
Poles, Lithuanians and Ruthenians.
These arc the three great Polish
branches which are now wholly or
largely under German control
The regime which the Germans will
set up In Russian Poland is being
awaited with the. keenes, interest by
the Polish element. as. it will determine
whether the policy Will he TO reconcile
the Poles and bring the three branches
together again or 10 use this rich re-
Gion FOR German colonization. gradually
Germanizing IL and extinguishing the
separate Polish spirit This latter has
been the policy Of Russia. and the diff
fcult!es II has had after years of cf-
fort indicates the difficulties ahead for
the German regime, whichever course
Il adopts.
STILL DISTINCTLY POLISH
AFTER LONG OCCUPATION
Mr.. Dmowski sums up Polands no
sition under Russia as tina, OF mill
tery occupation, with all the admins
tTation at Warsaw and elsewhere car
ried on By Russian officials. the schools
and universities conducted By Russian
teachers and teaching the Russian lam
Euagc, the police entirely Russian and
the whole direction Of affairs in Rus
sian hands And yet, he adds. after
forty years OF Russian effort. Poland
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