New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-16
German Rule Would
Crush Her Ideals
of Freedom.
NATION STRICKEN
BY WARS TRAGEDY
Russian Retreat Left Country
Desolate, but People
Still Aspire.

Stockholm, Aug. 26.-(Correspond-
ence of The Associated Press.)-What-
ever military strategists may decide il
the actual importance Of the Russian
loss Of western Poland and the fall OF
Warsaw, by the Poles themselves il is
regarded as nothing but the bitterest
tragedy. Six months ago the Russian
Poles, in spite Of their losses and suf-
fering and the complete devastation
Of the most productive portions OF
their country, still clung hopefully t.
the promise which Russia had held OUT
to them at the beginning OF the war.
But with the gradual encroachment OF
the German armies, this assurance has
wavered-not so much because they
doubted Russia's good faith as because
they questioned her ability 20 enforce
the Grand Dukes proclamation. with
the loss of the Polish capital, IL may be
said that this waning hope, which alone
lifted Russian Poland out of absolute
despair, has expired.
In the recent retreat from the region
around Warsaw the Russian army,
having learned a lesson from LODI,
where the resources OF the city were
converted 10 German use, decided on
a policy of destroying all property
about whose use by the Germans there
was the slightest question. IL was
hardly TO be expected that the Poles,
homeless, pauperiZed and without any
idea of where or how they were going
to live, would preserve judicially
calm view of this action by the Rus
sian army. These wretched persons
said that the Russian soldiers in their
Jealous execution of the orders they
had received had left nothing behind
them except blackened and Scared
landscape whose very soil was ruined.
In view of the present geographical
boundaries Of Poland and the state OF
Polish feeling, the continuance OF the
session of the Russian-Polish commits
sion appointed by the Emperor TO con-
slider the question Of Polish indepen-
dence has the qualities OF tragedy and
farce almost equally combined. The
commission has apparently come 10 a
deadlock, since the kind of indepen-
dence which Poland wants and the kind
which Russia sees fit to offer are, IL
not directly opposed, at least so remote
from each other as to have little in
common.
81 can see little hope Of an agree
ment between the Russian and Polish
members of our commission" said
Roman Dmowsky, the Polish chairman
of the commission.
Asked to explain his idea Of proper
degree of independence Mr.. Dmowsky
| said:
81 mean a Polish legislature, with
| both houses wholly Polish, complete
financial independence, and the end or
Russian officialdom in Poland. This
is a concession Russia will never care
TO make, for Poland has been most
inviting garden for exploitation by
Russian officials.
AT is the presence of Russian adj
ministrative officials which we find par
ticularly intolerable. Poland knows
that she can never realize her ideals
as n progressive nation while she IL
being held back by a primitive, Eastern
civilization. Our civilization is a West
ern civilization. and TO subject il to the
standards Of Russia or the caprices
and methods of their primitive officials
is absurd.
at must not be inferred, however,
that Poland's resentment against Rus
STA Is accompanied by a growing SYM
pathy with Germany. Whatever may
be Poland's troubles under Russian
rule. she realizes that German rule
would mean the funeral Of the Polish
nation. We admire great many
things in Germany, and under German
rule Western Poland has been much
more prosperous than while IL was in
Russian hands. The revenues are now
higher and the people as whole are
better off financially. II is also true
that our kinsmen in German Poland
have ACQUIRED a high state OF eultura
and that in agriculture they have even
surpassed the Germans themselves.
$50. perhaps, from financial poin,
~ view we would be better OF under
German rule, but this consideration
will never be placed by Poland on
level with her ideals for self-realiza-
ton and independence. and she knows
that under Germany these Ideals Will
have 20 be buried
"Poland Is, therefore, still turning
70 the Allies for the realization OF her
independence. Though at present she
Ia utterly helpless, financially wrecked
TORN and destroyed by war in which
pole is forced to fight against Pole, II
she emerges an independent nation her
sacrifices will not have been In valn.'