New Britain herald., 1917-09-10
POOR POLAND.
What Germany and Austria Have In
Mind Presages No Good.
(Springfield Union).

(Springfield Union).
With so many German pledges pre-
viously shattered there can be little
surprise at the abandonment of the
proposal Of Berlin to set up an auton-
omous Polish Kingdom. The Rus
sian Poles were given their chance to
get out and fight for the Hohenzol-
lerns. and as they were not inclined
to do this they are now told that their
country will be partitioned and d.
vided between Germany and Austria.
Thus by a single stroke Germany
moves in retaliation against the Poles
and throws sop to weakened Aus
tria, which would get the Hons share
of Polish territory under the ar
rangenent now proposed. Germany
would simply take thin slice to
"rectify her strategic boundary" and
the rest would go to Austria, whose
emperor would become king of Po-
land. BY this plan old Poland and
Galicia would be reunited, but Prus-
sian Poland, with the addition al
ready mentioned, would remain part
of Germany. BY way Of reconciling
the members Of the proposed King
dom to the arrangement, assurance
Is given that Poland's relations to
as those now existing between Austria
and Hungary, making Triple instead
of a Dual Monarchy
There can be little surprise or dis
appointment on the part of the Poles
at this new turn Of affairs. It has
been plain all along that no real in
dependence was contemplated for the
Poles in the plan put forth in the
proclamation of November last. Had
the Central Powers been free to carry
out such a plan the king of Poland
would undoubtedly have been a men,
Der Of the ruling house of the Hohen-
zollerns or Hapsburgs. 1t is evident
that the Poles themselves we're high
ly skeptical as to the arrangement.
They wanted to know when and on
what lines the new government would
be instituted. They asked for Po-
lish government in fact, and not q
government on paper. Moreover such
a project, even If it could have been
carried out in good faith, would have
constituted no adequate fulf1llment of
Polish ideals, since 1t made no pro-
vision for the Poles Of Galicia and
East Prussia Hence there can be no
surprise that no real enthusiasm was
aroused by the proclamation of indie
pendence, and the attempt to raise
a Polish army to be commanded by
Germans proved a fasco.
AS for the talk of elevating Poland
to place of Importance in the Haps-
burg monarchy, there can be but
slight appeal in that to Polish favor.
We cannot forsee as yet what the
status of Austria will be after the war
is over and Europe has been reor-
dered. We are not certain that there
will be an Austrian empire then to
confer dignity upon a Polish kingdom.
At present Austria is in much
weakened state and virtually in the re-
lation of vassal to Germany In
existing circumstances promises are
easy. and threats of retaliation equal
ly inconclusive. Something besides
proclamatio from Berlin and
Vienna will enter in to shape the 2u-
ture of the Polish people. At present
all plans must be held in allegiance.
awaiting the history that Is yet to be
made. If the war is decided on the
lines forecast in the utterances Of
President Wilson, Premier Lloyd
George and other responsible repre-
sentatives of governments In the
grand alliance, the Poles will get
something more than empty or repu-
7iated promises.