Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-11-19

Austrians have taken great and obvious
risks. There was no hope of a restora-
ton of Poland while three great and
the old Polish state. However much
they might differ on Balkan questions
there was common ground between
Berlin, Petrograd and Vienna in the
matter of Poland.
But If the Germans and Austrians
should succeed in maintaining them
selves in Russian Poland until peace
comes and writing into the peace
agreement the erection of Poiish
state, consisting of Russian terrific.
ries inhabited by Poles. Russia would
no longer have any interest in support
ing Austro-German policy in the mat
ter of the Poles. On the contrary;
Russian policy would inevitably tend
of the Poles in the new states. out OF
all the Poles.
As for the Austrian Poles, they have
long been an important factor. IN the
difficult problem of German Magyar su-
premacy in the dual monarchy. They
have been better treated than the Poles
of Russia or of Prussia: they have po-
litical power now. and they are oound
to continue to have power II Austria
survives Certainly they will not be
satisfied to remain Austrian when there
is a Polish state and they can: joining
the other -Slavs OF Austria Hungary,
threaten the unity Of the Hapsburg
kingdom. The eventual return OF the
Poles of Austria to their brethren OF
Russia, If a new state is created. must
be recognized.
Road of National Instinct.
But such a state, with population
of 100000 people. however much 1t
may be temporarily shackled by Ger
In
freedom, and. having regained its free
dom. it will seek to restore racial unity.
We have recently seen in the case of
Rumania a country. still possessing a
German ruler and long bound to Ger
many and Austria by an alliance, throw
off the alliance and follow the road OF
national instinct the moment the OPP
portunity came to march.
Russian policy, too, which encour-
aged and inspired Serbian ambitions in
Bosnia and Herzegovina, ambitions
which were exactly like those of the
people of a new Polish state would
have with reference to Posen and East
and West Prussia, would hardly miss
the opportunity to take revenge and at
the same time to set free Slavs under
Teutonic domination.
We may conclude. fairly enough. tina,
the proclamation of the new Polish
state means that Austria and Germany
have abandoned all hope of a separate
peace with Russia; we may conclude
that they have abandoned any hope OF
an easy and immediate victory. They
did not annex or liberate Russian Po-
land until now because it was a basis
for bargain. They have not erected the
new Polish state now. with full real
ization of the peril it brings. until the
last chance of speedy victory has been
extinguished and the need of recruits
at once has pushed aside the more re-
mote dangers
Recalls History Of italy.
When the enemies of France set a
newly enlarged Sardinia to watch
France along the Alps. by the treaty
of Vienna. they actually insured the
unification of Italy. But the Poland
that Austria and Germany are "restor-
ing" represents a larger share of the
Polish population of Europe than sar-
dinia did of the Italian. French policy
was inevitable: the next Napoleonic
empire Joined with Sardinia to free
northern Italy. 1t is idle to expect less
of the Russians, whose ties are closer
with the Poles than the French were
with the Italians.
If Russia and her allies now win the
war. we may expect that Russia will
insist on the liberation of Austrian and
German Poles. She has promised a
that now offered by the central powers.
The course of the central powers in
setting up a Polish state made out of
Russian territory offers the Russians
toration of Poland at the expense of
Austria and Germany. But this means
the dismemberment of Prussia.
If Russia loses the present war and
her Polish subjects are included In an
Austro-German state of Poland. Russia
there will be next war, for subject
populations are bound to revolt and to
find allies. Win or lose. the Russians
are now bound to back the Poles
and if they lose the war and Russian
Poland. the Russians will have no self
ish reason for refraining from playing
the role of Polish liberators.
Opens other Questions.
But the Polish question only opens
other questions. If the Poles are to
have liberty. autonomy, any shadow of
liberty, what about the Czechs of Bo
hemia and Moravia? They have long
sought for some form of autonomy;
they have dreamed for centuries Of the
of the state that vanished
with the winter king, SO long ago.
Now that the Austrians and Germans.
at least in possession OF
Russian territory. have begun 70 no
crate Russian subject races. the Let's
as well as the Poles. will NOT the Eus-
sian pay back the compliment. IL they
come west? And il Russia is beaten
and the Poles Of salicia are now per-
mitted to rejoin their brethren OF the
Poland created by Aus
TRANS and Germans, will they not join
the Czechs and every other Slav and
discordnnt element in Austria?
1t is a dangerous thing to raise the
race issue in Austria, and we have am
pIe testimony that the Austrfans. long
opposed the German plan to erect an
Poland in conquered Rus
sian territory.
Peril Of Dual Monarchy.
If Austria loses the war there will be
a general refrigeration Of subject
races, the dual monarchy will suffer
erosion on every front. Italians. Ru-
rnanians. Serbs. Poles and Ruthenians
will depart, the coasts Of Hungary may
be Joined to the Serbs. Once this issue
of races is raised, an issue that cost