Iditarod pioneer., 1915-05-22
How the Poles Are Ruled

Austria has never treated her Poles as the Russians and the Prussians have treated theirs, Where those countries have sought to destroy the spirit of Polish nationalism, holding 1t to be perpetual menace to Rus san and PrusSlan institutions Austria has proceeded upon the theory that this spirit carefully directed becomes more source of strength to the government than 8 source of weakness. So the Poles of Austria are as free to sing their national songs as the people of our own South are free to sing Dixie" They are as much at liberty to slorlfy their past and to speak their native tongue as though they were free and inde pendent. Except that they must pay their taxes to Austria and serve in AuStras army, they are practically self governing
 And well may this be, for all the world knows that it was Sobiesli and his fellow Poles who saved Vienna and rescued EuroTc from the Turks
 Not only does Austria allow her Poles local self government, but she also gives them representation in the Austrian reichs- rath, The result has bec- comparative !cgree of satisfactory relations between the Poles and the Austrians; so much so, in fact. that the Russian and German Poles have for years felt rather bitter toward their Austrian compatriots, claiming that they are neglectful of their brethren who arc css fortunately cIrcUnstanced than they are. Someone has observed that the Poles of Austria are like the French in Canada /; that their nationalism is religious and liter ary and not governmental
 Germany has tried in every possible way l, | |. has used the Russian tactics in quenching the fire of their nationalism, but with no better success than Russia had. Heretofore Poles were not appointed to office; letter, addressed in Polish went undclIvered. Mar :iagcs between German men and Polish wcmen were discouraged, for Biamarc! had not let it escape his notice that "a Polish wife makes Polish patriot out of her hus- band in the twinkling of an eye"
 There were laws forbidding the use of Polish in public meetings, and Polish chil- Gren who refused to answer the catechisn ln German were punished.
 In the hope of making Germans out of the Poles. the Frussian government decided to culonize German settlers among them. First this was undertaken by private enter prise. but the Poles boycOttad the settlers, and their lands finally were bought bGck. Then law was enacted that no Pole could build upon lands acquired after a certain date The result is that one who travels through Polish Germany today occasionally will see fsrm houses, diaries, barns stables, and even chicken GOODS on wheels. The reople live, move and have their being in plorihed wagons
 When private enterprise failed to German ize Prussian Poland the government made appropriations, which up to the present time rave amounted to hundred million GcI- lars, to acquire Polish lands and turn them over to German settlers; but with all that was done the Poles are still Poles, and iA spite of the low forcing some to sell the,r lands and preventing others from buying. the German settler has not succeeded in getting much of footho}d on Polish lands and Germany has about four million Poles in her population.