Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-03-17

: Austrian Press Headquarters. - IN
the first part of, the month OF August
before the Austrian armies under Cen
erals Dankl and Nuremberg undertook
their first, offensive and victorious &C
ton across the frontier of Russian
Poland, much surprise was caused by
the news that division Of young Pol
ish sharpshooters, many of whom had
just outgrown boyhood, had on a dark
night surrounded a division of Cos
sacks, had killed every man, had
marched as far as the city Of Kielce
and had taken possession OF 1t. Many
people in Austria heard Of this strong
corps of volunteers, which In the
course of the war has developed TO
an important factor, for the first time
when the news of that successful ex-
pedition was published. " 24E "a y
The newspapers, it is true, had
taken notice about a year before the
war, when these young volunteers had
marched past the aged emperor IN
the park of Schoenbrunn and had
shown themselves in their comely uni
forms with excellent arms in the
streets Of Vienna But it was gener.
ally assumed that they belonged to
some kind Of military preparatory
school, such as exist in Switzerland.
Only very few were aware that this
corps was intended to play an I'M
portant role in the eventuality OF war.
The way in which the corps was
formed was secret, and the appear.
.ance of '"'The Polish Legion" which
has earned fame and 'honors wherever
1t served the purposes Of war, came
as a surprise to most people. the
history Of the corps is a reawakening
of the romance Of old times.
! Founded on Hatred Of Russia.
The Polish Legion was called to
life by a single man, whose talent for
organization was paired with q viru-
lent, burning hatred against Russia,
with the Unborn. indomitable will to.
rescue hts country from the Russian
yoke. Joseph Won Pilsudskythat Is
his name--was a revolutionist so long
as he lived In Warsaw, one Of party
which attempted to realize the old,
never abandoned dream Of q resusci-
tated free Poland. !, Il j5<5 Il. ,5s5s
During the revolution Of 1905, the
biggest and most dangerous for Rus
STA in recent times, Pilsudsky fought
on the barricades Of Warsaw In the
foremost lines of his compatriots. The
attempt to burst the Russian chains
failed, like all previous efforts, be-
cause the Poles were too weak to
resist unaided and alone. The result
for the leaders was a dungeon IN ST.
IBERIA or the gallows. Pilsudsky ana
many others escaped this fate. He
to cross the Austrian from
tier and settled in Galicia, where he
found a fertile field for the cultivation
II his ideals. =. -. = - N.,ss. s||:sgs&s2
He decided that the Austrian Poles,
who enjoy equal rights with, all the
subjects of the dual monarchy, must
help him to liberate their oppressed
brothers living across the Vistula.
began by addressing him
self to the very young and he sue
,eeded in waking their enthusiasm
The Polish Nationalist. and the So
,ialists were the first to answer to his
call and their young sons and broth
.rs enlisted without tarrying in the
ungschuetzen-Vereine (young mems
clubs). which he established
Their immediate aim
was to make the young men hardy
and to teach them the use Of weapons
the liberation Of Russian Poland
heir ultimate scope. The latter was
never admitted officially. The Aus
.rian government therefore was not
bound to interfere, not even in times
II peace. H.. - .,st'"
@% Takes kieIee Unbidden.
Then the war broke out. The en-
;husiastic leader assembled his forces
n Cracow and as the Polish Legion
lid not form part Of the army at that
line he chose dark night and
marched his 1900 we'll armed men
lcross the Russian frontier on his