Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-18
WARSAW UNNATURALLY
CALM IN FACE OF DANGER
Polish Capital Goes on It's Merry
Way, Apparently Unconcerned Over
Fighting at Its Doors.
BUT IT'S ALL ON SURFACE
Its Laughter Is Near Sob, and Peo-
pio Arc Living mt High Nervous
tension, Amidst Privations and
Terrors, Duo to Constant Fighting.

warsaw, which Is nearer to the actual
hshting zone than any other city of it's
hize In Europe. and has lived for months
under tho continued menace OF German
occupation, wears the astonishing az
poet or disintercstcd observer, for
whom the fortunes Of war have blu, q
casual interest This is the capital OF
the country whose sons, almost equally
divided, arc fRhting half on the Rus
sian and half on the Austro-Gcrman
side
warsaw Is within thirty miles OF that
norce, persistent and apparently untir-
ing German offensive against which a
large part of the entire Russian army
mas been massed. and Is subject TO al
the Ills which follow in the wake Of
battle such as dearth OF provisions and
luel. congestion and disease The best
farms and estates OF Poland have been
turned into vast burial grounds. her
people are homeless and starving and
every day seems to darkcn the prospect
or that regeneration Of the Polish pco-
pic into mn Independent nation, which is
the dream OF every Pole, whether he is
Russian. a German or an Austrian
subject. From the accumulated filth Of
the trenches. from the thousands of
shallow graves where Russian, German
and Polish soldiers have been hastily
buried. cholera. typhus and typhoid are
said TO be spreading. and in the opin-
Ion OF the military doctors when the
Tho streams begins In carly spring, dis
case Will run like fire through Poland.
FIVE CHOLERA CASES
ARE BROUGHT INTO CITY
over 100000 refugees who have
thrown Themselves upon the mercy OF
The various committees OF Polish relief
In Warsaw. have brought into the city
i've known cases OF cholera. The cases
nave been promptly isolated, and ali
or a
iagion have been deported into the
country. Warsaw Is at present suffer
Ing from a dearth OF coal since the sup
ply from Southern Poland In the Chen
stokovau region has been cut OF by
the German invasion.
Ono then is entitled to n feeling Of
Rmazement at the undiminished spirits
and the apparently normal life which
exist In this city. which, one reasons.
ought to be trembling on the verge OF
catastrophe. The streets are gay with
laughter and song. the cafes are allied
until late at night. and the opera and
ballet are playing 10 full houses IL
IL curious indeed. 10 see these audiences
giving way to the imaginary troubles
or the actors on the stage. while real
trouble awaits them beyond the door OF
the theater on the former German nd
vance upon Warsaw which approached
within seven miles OF tho city one tho
alter continued its performance without
enemys guns could be distinctly heard
over the voices OF the actors
Club life goes on rs usual. An Amer
ican correspondent was in the rooms OF
ono OF the best known Warsaw clubs on
the occasion OF recent aeroplane raid
-Four men were playing auction bridge
Two bombs were dropped. one within
200 yards OF tho club Two Of the
mon strolled chrelcssly to the window
and watched the two German Taubes
rEck1ags frnr aIt -
about 5000 feet TO n distance OF APP
proHimatcly 1000. drop bomb apiece
and circle upward and westward with
Two Russian aeroplanes in close pur-
suit. Russian shrapnel was directed
AZ tho TWO German aeroplanes from a
battery on Ihe outskirts OF the CITY
hut the speed OF tho acroplanes was so
great that the gray burst OF smoke fell
harnlessly In the rear. The other two
mon In the bridge game were more in
terested in their hands. These aero
plaine raids have. indeed. become such
commonplace occurrences that instead
OF hurrying In doors. as the residents
or the city used TO do when the appear
ance of the German Taubes was an
alarming novelty, the streets arc now
crowded with mildly Interested spcc-
'ators. who II they have no other bust
ness on hand, make II a point to be
on the streets on clear afternoons at
o'clock. At which time the German
with unerrins regularity.
AEROPLANE RAIDS
LIKE SPORTING EVENTS
BEFORE we have tea" says a timid
looking Polish woman. Tets plan to go
out and see the aeroplanc raid" One
might almost think that 1t was a sport
ing event OF the season. which IL had
become fashionabl to attend.
Meanwhile. the wounded are brought
back from tho trenches and n conripu
GUS line of soldiers. infantry, mounted
infantry. cavalry and long provision
trains file through the city to take their
place in the firing line. But the endless
activity, the countless episodes, any one
OF which would in ordinary times pro-
"oke anxiety and alarm, seem only to
act ms stimulant upon the over
wrought nerves Of this remarkable cap
ital One soon learns that the nervous
laughter which one hears everywhere
IN Warsaw Is not far from sob. and
the apparent unconcern only the pitiful
bravery OF n nation that has learned NOT