Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-07-08
SCENE OF TERRIFIC CONTEST
Galicia Poorest of All the Prov
inces of Austria.
This Crow inland Is Almost Exactly the
Size Of south Carolina hut IL Has
Population SIX Times ~
Great.


and forth locked in one of the outstand-
ing, titanic struggles Of history to decide
the fate of empires and Of two mighty
recess, have gripped the popular attention
more than the news from any other bat
tie theater On Gaiicia's fields during
the pa st few months have been done such
feats at arms as the modern world could
not have dreamed of; the strength OF
great Russia swept over this Austrian
crownland, driving it's powerful armies
over the plain In the north, over tho
central hills. up the southern slopes Of
the ragged Carpathians, on to their lofty,
icy crests. beyond these crests, and
lowered over the fertile prairie land
OF Hungary.
Here the wave spent its irresistible
force, and upon the dreary mountain
rocks. above the clouds, amid the ice
and snow and chill cold of early spring,
the flower of Russian and Austro Ger
man strength began rolling backward
toward the north. still locked In con-
tnuous grinding battle, until now the
foothills have been left behind and the
terrific contest Is surging in the direction
of Lemberg and the northern plain. The
nature Of this war theater that has be-
held among earths sternest, most BIT
ter scenes is intimately described by vii.
liam Joseph Showalter in statement
prepared for the National Geographic
society. This writer says:
Austrian Poland Is practically en-
brared by the crownland of Gaiicia.
This crownland is almost exactly the
size of the State of South Carolina. but it
has population six times as great. II con-
tnental United States. exclusive of
Alaska. we're as densey populated as
Cialicia, we would boast Of a population
four times as great as that Of Russia.
And yet Galicia is the poorest of all
the provinces of Austria. It lies outside
the ramparts of the Carpathans, which
rob 1t of the warm winds that otherwise
v ould come to It from the south. and
also turn back upon ii the cold winds
Of the north Thus these mountains
give Galicia long. cold winters, short.
wet springs; hot, blistertng summers,
and dreary, chilly autumns,
The glory of Poands past and the
hope of her future are Cracow and Lem
berg. for it was the former that was her
capital in the yesterday of history and
the latter that Is her capital to-day and
which would he her capital tomorrow
were Polish dreams to come true, In
Cracow. tho great city Of Poland's past.
the royal palace still stands: but It is
used as a barracks and not as the home
Of king. The cathedral is now the
Valhalla of its departed greatness; for
there sleep the kings and the heroes from
the Jagellons to kosciuszko. Not far
away is the KosciuszkoberR, one of the
most rema rkahle memorials ever reared
by the hand Of mana huge mound Of
earth brought by loyal Poles from every
battlefield in the world consecrated with
Polish blood.
The country around Cracow is flat and
is devoted almost wholly to small farming
and trucking. The peasants dress in
white jackets and blue breaches, and
wear tackboots their women folk, with
large bright shawls and picturesque
head dress, brighten and give spirit to
the country side.
From Cracow to Lemberg the taveler
encounters good land; it is fairly level
and entirely innocent Of fences, bound
AIRY stones marking party lines, and
tethers or herdsmen keeping livestock
where 1t belongs. The same methods of
agriculture that We used In the United
and the grain drill are still in force in
that region.
It is in Lemberg that the only Polish
dominated legislative assembly in eX-
istence holds its sessions. for Lemberg
Is the capital of Galicia. and the Poles.
both because of their political ability
and their numerical weight control the
Galician Legislature in the face of their
tLo ID
The city Of Lemberg Is largely modern
"A compact nucleus surrounded by scatter
tering suburbs.
While Gslicia is almost wholly an
agricultural region, and while large
percentage Of that agriculture is carried
on in the od-time way. there are some
few manufacturing neiehborhoods and
industrial districts, Distilleries occupy
first place among the industries. and
there are many beet-sugar and tobacco
factories Petroleum springs abound
along the Carpathians, and come of the
towns In this region grow from small
villages to modern Beaumonts between
New Year and Christmas
Galicia has many of the worlds most
famous salt mines. Those at Wielczl1a
have been worked for nearly seven CEN
turtles. at one time being principal source
Of revenue for the Polish kings. Rail-
roads are not permitted to run near them
lest their vibrations result in cave-ins
Within these mines are a labyrinth OF
salt-hewn streets and alleys. lined with
pillared churches. staircases restaurants.
shrines and monuments
Austria has never treated her Poles as
the Russians and the Prussans have
treated theirs. The Poles Of Austria are
MS free to sing their national songs as
the people Of our own South are free
to sing Dixie They are much at
liberty ia glorify their past and to speak
their native tongue as though they were
free and independent. Except that they
must pay their taxes to Austria and
serve in Austria's army. they are prac-
tically self-governing.
AS western GaiCia is the stronghold OF
the Austria Pole, so eastern Galcia is
the main dwelling-pace of the Ruthe-
Man, The two races never get along very
we'll together. The peasant population
Of Austrian Poland exc out hard eX-
istence. In many parts of the country
the peasant lives in a log hut covered
with straw: he breakfasts, dimes, and
makes his supper of porridge, washing
It down with bad brandy, and in general