The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-01
WarsdW-A City of Memories
By GEORGE LEWIS BauEs

Today the eyes of the world-and the
 frenzied energies of Germany-are centered upon Warsaw. Of late years when thoughtful people have contem- plated conditions in central Europe. they have come to say. Poor Poland r so often that the term has become a stock phrase. Poor Poland, indeed For the past week. however. concern for that part of the Slavonic race has been intensified and particularly fo- eused upon Warsaw, the once proud capital of the one time chief nation of central Europe.
 Warsaw is city of more than 40O,- 'Vo souls. Located there upon the broad and noble Vistula river. it's very situation is more than striking. It's dofenses, for centuries, faced the east. Ter from that direction came both Tar tar ana Russian. The Notifications were built upon the river bank and commanded the valley of the Vistuls The first fort was built there in 14e While Cracow was yet the Polish capi- tal' Warsaw grew up around the fort. Under such ample protection the Ylty liourished and soon came to be ythe center of Polish life.
 When in 1886 the brilliant and beauti- iul Polish Queen, Jadwiga, mag ried Jaseilo. the typical knight errantI then ruler or 11thuania, thus uniting thJs two nations, Il was decided that Warsaw should be the capital of these hIended peoples. The new capital soon icy.me To De the most brilliant city in tfey world. Paris not accepted But ike mon When the Pitxr hap began to die o
 Prussian, Russian and Austria though bitterly hating each other. for got their cherished enmity and joined ID the amazing conspiracy to slaughter icland and divide her carcsas among themselves. Every school girl knows the horrible story of the fislat sacond and third "partitionings." srhese com. prised some of the most dragic inci- dents in the history of the world and record the bloodest chapters of those annals.
 Warsaw is the city of sobieski In warsaw still stands the renowned statue or capernicus, the piece of stat uary which has so impress sed the Polish mind that Poles always .,call a stat,,a a oapernicus. Warsaw is the city which gave America and the W world their Kos G.ilsz o--hoscfnszkosthe genius sent bv Benjamin Franklin From Paris to Heofse Washington; Koscinszko. whose name IS part of our national his rory He it was who ta ught the colonies | ne science of fortifiy ations He built bemis Heights and planned West Point
 At Warsaw Napoleon dictated the fla nous decree creating; the Grand Duchy ., warsaw In Warsaw Napoleon read the plan of his Snquest of Russia. when 7o.ooo Poles e5tarted with him on .he fatal march tol Moscow,
 Though stripped of the sacred relics dear to the heayts of the peonle of Poiand, Warsaw as still beautiful city. arsa" mas more palaces than any city in the world. These were the homes and esta tes of former Polish arlstocrats They are really magniA cent mansions,f worthy of royalty it. seif, but are. ne'w confiscated property appropriated for Russian governmental use.
 Today only tone fifth of the populat,on or warsaw Bthe intellectual center of 4 T olaho, can read and write Instruc. ..on 10 the common people is forbid oen' becauss only Russian instruct,on Is allowed sLnd this the common nao.