New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-07
Poland

is that the Central Powers have
abandoned all hope Of a separate
peace with Russia. twas because of
the hope Of such a peace that the
Polish question was adjourned for
more than a year. AS long as
there was no positive pledge on the
part Of the Central Powers there
was the possibility of a bargain with
Petrograd on the basis Of the status
quo ante, and all through the war
Germany has alternately cherished
and put aside this hope.
BY the decision to recreate a Po-
land Austria and Germany close the
way to negotiation in the matter Of
the provinces taken from the Gar
by the successful campaign Of 1915.
Such a decision speaks volumes for
the determination of Russia, so often
repeated at Petrograd. 10 stand with
her Western allies to the end.
Nor is it less plain that in restor-
ing a part Of Poland, the Russian
part, Germany and Austria have
raised a new problem for themselves.
In Galicia there are not less than
five million Poles; in Posen and the
Prussias there are nearly four mill
ion more. Cracow, in Galicia, is an
old Polish capital, and nowhere has
the dream Of a restored Poland been
cherished more steadily than in Po-
lish Galicia.
The single solution of the Polish
question, so far as Russian, Aus
trian and German statesmen are
concerned, has been to leave each of
the three states in the possession of
a fraction of the Polish race; this
supplied a common policy for all
three. But if one fraction Of Po-
land, and by far the largest,
achieves even a measure Of freedom,
will the Austrian or Galician Poles
remain content to live outside the
frontiers of free Poland?
No one can believe this. The truth
is that once the liberation of Poland
has begun it will not end until all
the regions inhabited by Poles are
gathered under the Polish sovereign
". A hint of this is found in the
promise of autonomy for Galicia.
Put the Austrian problem is far
simpler than the German. Thus
Austria could, if she chose, turn
over Western Galicia TO the new Po-
land without affecting the general
Austrian situation, for all the Poles
live in one we'll defined district, and
in this district there are practically
no other races represented.
But the German problem is far
graver. In the eastern districts of
Prussia, in Posen and in West Prus-
STA, not only are the Poles and Ger
mans inextricably entangled, but TO
give the Polish districts back to Po-
land would be to erect a wall Of
Poles between East Prussia and the
rest of Germany, the wall which
Frederick the Great broke down in
the first partition. It was to join
Last Prussia to the rest of his state
that he engineered that initial spolia-
ton.
Once free Poland is erected, it
will inevitably draw 90 itself the
Poles of Austria. Russian and Aus
trian Poles together will make a
solid state of at least eighteen mill
ion people, and this state will be cut
off from the sea by the eastern prov
inces Of Prussia. Naturally the
Poles will then look eagerly toward
T. restoration Of Dantzig, once the
port of Poland, and those districts
along the lower Vistula in which
there is considerable Polish popu-
lation.
And il there is anything in his
tory, the people Of the new Poland
will also seek 10 redeem Posen, whose
million or two Of Poles have waged
a century long battle with the leu
ton, and have held their ground, and
even increased their land holding and
their majority. Here on a frontier
where the battle between the Slav
and the Teuton has been going on
for so long it will break out afresh.
As for Russia, if she is unable 10
regain her share Of Poland, her pol
icy henceforth is not 10 be mistaken
She will give her aid and her help to
the Poles TO assist them in winning
back their provinces held by Ger
many. as France gave her aid 10
Italy 10 complete the latter's unifca-
ton by regaining Venetia from Aus
tria.
Nor does the thing end here. If
the Poles are TO have their freedom,