The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1915-04-22
SHEER VALOR AND LEADERSH| P
MADE TWO AUSTRIAN GENERALS
Psudsky Secretly Formed Polish Legion Defeated cossacks and
Without Orders Took Kece-Many Professional Men in His
Command-Fscher Gained Promotion Through
= Gallant Defense of Blkowna.
Austrian Press Headquarters. =

before the AuBIrlau arulee uuucI OoA
erals Daiakl 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
fish sharpshooters, many Of whom had
Just outgrown boyhood, had on dark
night surrounded a division OF Co.'S
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'
petition was published.
The newspapers, it Is true, had
taken notice about 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 1t 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 a secret. and the appear
ance of "The Polish Legion which
has earned fame and honors wherever
1t served the purposes of war. came
as surprise to most people. The
history of the corps is 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 a viru-
lent, burning hatred against Russia,
with the Unborn. indomitable will to
rescue his country from the Russian
yoke. Joseph Won Pilsudsky-that 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 a resusct-
tated free Poland.
During the revolution Of 1905, the
biggest and most dangerous for Rus
STA in recent times, Pilsudsky fought
on the barbados 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 dungeon in ST.
IBERIA or the gallows. PiIsudsky and
many others escaped this fate. He
to cross the Austrian from
tier and settled In Galicia, where he
found fertile field for the cultivation
of his ideals.
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 tho first to answer to his
,all and their young sons and broth
rs enlisted without tarrying in the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (young mems
clubs). which he established
Their immediate aim
vas to make the young men hardy |
nd to teach them the use of weapons
the liberation of Russian Poland |
heir ultimate scope. The latter was
ever admitted officially. The AUS
rian government therefore was not
ound to interfere, not even in times
I peace.
Takes kieIce Unbidden.
Then the war broke out. The en-
ausiastic leader assembled his forces
!, Cracow, and as the Polish Legion
Id not form part of the army at that
me he chose a dark night and
larched his $500 well armed men
cross the Russian frontier on his
wn responsibility, anxious to prove
lat the young Poles were worthy Of
eing taken into the army. The result
AZ the combat with a division Of
ounted Cossacks and the occupation
Kielce, in which undertaking infan-
y helped.
The Polish Legion held the city
rec weeks. and when 1t had to with
'aw before an overpowering Russian
rec it fought bravely and caused the
leiny heavy losses. The Austrian
my leaders admitted that the young
rps had fully proved its valor and
activity was oflicially sane
,ned. The Polish Legion had made
} way.
Pilsudsky was especially anxious to
ID cavalry corps to the Legion.
, began with six horses and at the
d Of two months he had two squad
NJ. He asked for artillery, and ~
others could be spared the army
thorities gave him twenty old guns
at&AAd to be fired with gunpowder.
,Wever, he had an excellent artillery
lcer who obtained splendid results
I'M those old guns.
b the meantime he continued to en-
young Poles, and the victory Of