Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-03-23
Horrors That Arouse Us.

Henri Sienkiewicz, the author OF Quo
Vadis, gave to the New York Times
recently an appalling picture OF death
and devastation in Poland.
What is the position of Poland? She
had nothing to do with the war. Con-
quered and partitioned she is not one
Of the belligerent nations; yet mill
lion and half of her sons are fight
ing fratricidal battles in the armies Of
three different warning States. Our
country has been made the cockpit OF
Europe and devastated from end to
end. hree-quarters Of a million OF
our children are fighting in the Russian
Army and another three-quarters of
million are bearing arms of Austria.
Poland comprises 127,5O0 square kill
ometers. One hundred thousand Of
these have been devastated by AustrO-
German troops. More than a million
horses and two million head Of horned
cattle have been seized by the invad-
ers, and in the whole of the 100000
square kilometers in the possession of
the Austro- German troops not. a grain
Of corn. not scrap Of meat. nor q
drop Of milk remained for the civil
population. The material losses up to
the present are estimated at 100000
900 rubles, ($580, 000,O00. No fewer
than 100000 workmen have lost their
livelihood.
1.-The state Of things in Galicia is
just as dreadful for the civil popula-
tion-innocent victims Of the war. OF
$500 square kilometers. all except
5000 square kilometers around Cracow
are in possession Of the Russians. They
Communicated 100000 horses and
about 100000 head Of horned cattle,
and seized all the grain. part of the
salt fields, and the oil wells. The once
rich province is a desert. Over a mil
lion inhabitants have sought refuge in
other parts of Austria. They are in
sheer restitution. wandering over the
country, with nothing but the clothes
they are wearing"
II you were In supreme control Of
the world. do you wonder how you
would deal with a system Of CONNER
cial greed that so tramples the in
nocents of earth without so much as
we are sorry?"
Do you wonder that all the pre-
pared" nations deny the inception of
the war?
Could you blame the God Of nations
If awful retribution were visited upon
the war-worshiping peoples which
have devasted Belgium and Poland?
Do you not expect that even unto
the seventh generation the present
maddened peoples Of Europe must pay,
pay. pay, for the MILLIONS of victims
and the limitless woe they have
caused?
If you had the power would you not
blow to atoms every warship, every
fort, every gun, every arsenal, every
arms factory, every ammunition mill
on earth?
If you had the power would you
not lead by the ear every ruler and
all his advisers, Of every nation on
earth, up to an universal treaty pro-
viding for world peace, compulsory ar
hitration and world policing by joint
forces, and make them sign?
Would you care a rap what the
devilish selfishness Of these rulers,
and policy fixers Of nations might be,
so long as you could fix system that
would protect the homes and simple
lives of untold millions. like those of
Poland and Belgium and If the war
ring peoples themselves?
If you could be given the secret
OF an agent of destruction by which
you could force world peace and q
wiping out Of the stupendous waste
Of military burdens. would you hest
tate to use it?
When we read Of the appalling con-
ditions in Belgium and Poland may
we not be forgiven for coveting the
powers CT the almighty?