Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1917-01-04

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Poland, about which so much is
which are, in many ways, unique.
The various kingdoms of Europe have
in the course of their long history,
passed through many vicissitudes.
They have aggrandized themselves by
conquest, or been reduced by defeat.
In some instances, notably in the case
of the Balkan kingdoms, they have
been for many centuries entirely sub.
merged. Practically all OF these,
however, exist, in some form today,
and where they do not exist as indie
pendent kingdoms, each one still re
mains a separate entity and owes allie
glance, willing or otherwise, to one
power. With Poland, however, the
position is entirely different. The old
kingdom of Poland, once among the
largest and most powerful in Europe,
has, for v 100 years, been divided
between Russia. Prussia and Austria,
and all three nations have attempted,
in varying degrees, to discourage the
national spirit. and to bring about an
assimilation of the Pole with the
other inhabitants of the country in
which he is incorporated.
It is a long story, and goes back for
its beginnings nearly a thousand
years. Polish historians, indeed, pro-
TESS to go back further still, to the
fourth century; but there are no really
reliable historical data regarding tbs
country until the end of the tenth
century. 1t vas at about that time
that the pastoral peoples, the nucleus
Of the Polish nation, who, centuries
before, had been driven by the Rom
ans from the banks of the Danube to
seek shelter in the virgin forests of
Central Europe, began to band them
selves together for the sake of mutual
defense against their many rapacious
Aeighbors, notably the Germans Of
the west. Thus, as Is the case with
most countries, the story of Poland,
in it's beginnings, centers round yari-
Gus leaders. 1t is, however, a very
.ais5ointed story. Some episode is
seen for a moment, as it were. with
great %viyidness, and then the thread
is lost again, until another such cpl
sode indicates that a point in the tale
has been reacher, further on.
Poland was converted to Christian
1ty in the tenth century, and it was in
the reign of Micislas, the first Chris
tian king. towards the close of that
century, that the country first took
rank as one of the great political pow
ers OF Europe. Micislas was followed
by Boleslas l, surnamed the Great. He
reunited the kingdom, which had been
divided between the four o of
Micislas. extended his borders be-
yond the Oder, the C%arpathians and
the Dneister; sustained a successful
war with the Emperor Henry II OF
Germany and conquered Craeoyia.
Moravia, Lusatia and Misnia. After
= period of anarchy, he was succeed
ed by his son, Casimir, and Casimir.
In turn, by his son, Boleslas II; and
SO on to Boleslas III. another great
leader and conqueror, who fourished
IN the first half of the twelfth cen.
tury. Like most of the kings of those
days, the Polish kings were noted as
mighty warriors. as master intriguers.
the kind of men who were ready 20
slay a bishop and snap their fingers
at Rome one day, and the next seek
hurried shelter in submission before
the thunders Of an interdict- And SO
Poland continued, with varying for
tunes, until the Mongols swept over
the country in 1241, reducing it to the
verge of ruin, and defeating the Poles
IN the great battle of Wahlsstatt. For
sonie time thereafter, Poland declined
steadily. It lost territory, and it was