Evening star., 1915-03-28
THE RENAISSANCE OF POLAND?

In the river Elster on the return from
MOSCOW. Kosciuako, after the distin-
g aished service rendered the cause OF
American independence In the Amer
lean army. returned 20 Poland and took
part in the insurrection against Rus
sia ana was chosen dictator by his
compatriots in 17s4: defeated in the
battle Of Maciejowice, where, as we
have seen. he was wounded and taken
prisoner, he was liberated by the Car
Paul ]. kosciusko retired to private
life and died in 1917.
Foland-Russian. Prussian and Aus
trian-is passing at this hour through
test of fire from
Poland Passing the shock Of the
Through Fire. CO.., eon'eno,ns .s, arm,.'
some good may come to Poland. whose ,
versatile character may be tempered a.
steel is tempered for her future role
As an Independent and reliable nation
The confederation of Bar In l7es was
q union of all patriotic Poland against
Russia, but II eliminated in l77c in the
first Partition OF Poland between Rus
eia. Prussia and Austria The civil
war OF 1892 furnished Russia a pretext
for a new Intervention. and Poland was
subjected to a second partition In 1894.
despite the desperate opposition Of the
brave Kosciusko. A third and final
partition OF Poland between Russia
Austria and Prussia efraced Poland
from the roll of nations.
The treaty of Tilsit (isoIl restored
some Independence to a small portion
of Poland. which was detached from
Prussia and erected into the duchy OF
Warsaw under the sovereignty O.
but the treaties of 1915 restored War
saw to Russia, which made some con
cessions to Poland. The actual stu
alton OF Poland may be briehy re-
sumed as follows:
The provinces of the vistrila are pos
sessed by Russia. and constitute the
government of Warsaw, the province
having a population of 100000 inhae-
itants: Gaficia Is possessed by austria
Hungary. and contains population O.
$3.50, 900, with the capital at Lemhers
the grand duchy Of Posen Is possessed
by Prussia, has population OF 1.12o.
900. with the capital at Dantzig.
failed to modify this condition. They
were repressed with severity, and
since then-at least until 19o5-th"
Germanization and classification OF Po-
land has gone on following the policies
Polish question. indeed. has been sort
of knot In European politics since the
first partition OF the country. ana IN"
knot has been drawn so tightly tha'
it has been unbroken during a century
When Napoleon, victorious at Jena
(1s0s), entered Warsaw the question OF
Poland's re.esta blishment
Nanole0n's as an independent nation
was seriously considered.
1I0Ject. Napoleon first of all ex
acted that any action as to Poland
should be based upon the unity OF tho
Poles. Was Poland unitedc The answe-
was that Poland was not united. for
there was a large part. majority per-
hans that aspired to renaissance un-
der Russia. but not under France.
Kosciusko was not present to plead
Poland's cause. But Poniatowski was
with Napoleon. and since he earned
later the favor Of the great commander
at Leipzig We may wonder that the
distinguished Polish general had moth
ing to say In favor Of Poland's au-
tonomy.
The treaty of Tflsit Gso7) recor-
nized the autonomy Of Poland. but the
restrictions were of such nature as
to strangle the proper aspirations OF
the nation.
A hundred and more years separat.
us from Jena and Tilsit. Now, as then.
the vast regions OF great stagnant
marshes and interminable pine for
ests, desolate and discourage to the
eye. reach the clash of the contendinf
armies Before Przemysl Won Hinden-
burg in his drive to reach Warsaw
encountered at Prasnysz that "enor-
nous Watchdog which dominated the
famous battlefield of Charles XII and
Napoleon. Prasnysz. situated In NORTH
east Poland, is the summit OF triangle
of which the Nareso is the base. run
ming from Ostrolenka to Pultusk, the
Nareso being an afluent of the Bug.
which falls into the vistula near War
saw. This network of rivers from
Grodno to Kovno forms serious OBJ
stacle to the invasion OF Russia.
The dominating idea of Won Hinden-
burg in his offensive movement was to
capture Warsaw and thence seize the
line of the Vistula, where he could or
ganize a formidable defense against
mander westward. Aside from the mil
itary value of that idea. there was
another political one-of no less I'M
portance. The capture of Warsaw ac-
complished. the German government
would issue a proclamation establish
ing the autonomy of Poland under the
hegemony of Germany.
=
The battle OF Prasnysz opened by an
attack on the Russians occupying the re-
gion Mlawa -Prasnys8
I.ate Fighting by five divisions directed
from Lipno-Sierpec-
IN foldnu. Biejun toward the east
This attack was halted by the Rus
slams in the fight of the 18th and 18TH
of February at Plock- -Racionz. Mean
while a rapid movement was made BY
Won Hindenburg south with the object
of overwhelming the Russian right
wing at Prasnysz and throw 1t back on
the vistula.
The goth of February. executing a
conversion on the southwest. the Ger
mans attacked the Russians In the rear
in the Mlawa region. They
occupied strongly the passages OF the
River Orzyc in order to cover their left
and rear against a Russian attack
tween Pultusk and Ostrolenke. Feb
ruary "a Prasnysz was taken by the
Germans, who then attacked the Rus
SLAMS from the north and south The
situation was critical for the latter.
On the 25th the Russians forced this
passages Of the Orzyc and threw them
selves in force on the Germans. who
held their lines intact until night. wher
the lines at Mlawa and Ciechanou fel
back on Prasnysz. where. with
changed front. desperate battles were
fought on the 26th and 27th. Pras-
nys5 was captured by the Russians, re-
taken by the Germans. and finally re
the Germans were In full retreat, leav-
ing behind many prisoners and much