The Washington times., 1916-11-07
WILL THE POLES TAKE THE
BAIT ONCE MORE7

The two Kaisers of central Europe
are holding out to the Poles the
same bait that Napoleon offered
them. Poland was wrenched asunder
before Napoleon rose to power in
Europe. Austria, Prussia, and Rus
STA had taken their slices. and Po-
land had well-nigh ceased to exist,
nationally, before the Corsican set
out on his ll-fated march to Moscow.
Whatever may be said Of the in
capacity Of the Poles for govern
ment, there Is no division Of opinion
as to their ability as soldiers. They
seldom made their military genius
very effective, because Of the politi-
cal divisions that invariably dissi-
pated the results. Even the mag
nficent John Sobieski, after he had
saved middle Europe from the Turks
before Vienna, was not permitted to
rule in peace and satisfaction the
country that idolized him because Of
the glory he had won for it. He
lived a dozen years after his great
victory, but in that time, because Of
the everlasting wrangling among
the grandees, was repeatedly on the
verge Of abdication in disgust, and
he solemnly warned his countrymen
that unless they reformed them
selves they would lose their country.
1t was a prophetic warning; for the
event proved its absolute correct
ness.
There were three partitions 81 Po-
land before the appearance of Ma
poleon. In 1772 the three conspir-
ator powers Topped off about 40 per
cent Of the Polish national area and
distributed it among themselves.
Then twenty years later they dipped
in again, and soon after this they
finished the business by the partition
Of 1875, which was simply the an
nouncement that there wasn't goin'
to be no core"
The Poles were irreconcilable; and
when France rose to power after the
revolution, as the pillar Of fire and
cloud leading European democracy,
the Poles hoped it would help liber-
ate them. Napoleon got around to
that, when he needed Polish soldiers
for the Russian campaign. He ere
ated the Duchy Of Warsaw, with the
same grandiloquence that has
marked the present resuscitation, in
wars midst, Of the Kingdom of Po-
land. The Poles Of that day saw q
rainbow promise Of ultimate re-
establishment Of their nationality
and thousands of them Joined the
French armies in the march into
Russia. Napoleon probably would
J have tried sincerely enough to dc
something for the Poles, if he had
had the chance; for it was decidedly
} to his interest to create a natior
thoroughly friendly to himself, be-
tween Russia and Prussia. But he
never possessed, after Moscow, the
pOWcT W carry OuI WHosSNCf piuhf
he may have had, and POLAND
realized nothing from his promises
Creation of a new Polish kingdom
by the central powers, just at thii
time, looks like a bid for Polish
support, recruits, alliance, in the
war against the entente. Perhaps
, the Poles will take the bait; it mus
be doubted. If there were less Ger
man and more Austrian influenc,
back of this newest move, the ap
, peal would be stronger; for Aus
tria has used sense and humanit!
. in managing her Poles; Prussia haI
, been even more rigorous and eff
, ficient than Russia in the effort t,
suppress them. Poland will not b.
/ re-established now; most likely i
, will never be re-established.