Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-04
POLAND NOT PRUSSIAN OR RUSSIAN

receive its political and religious freedom.
That ID the will of my almighty emperor.
Also in November. 1914. the Poles,
after the Russian promises of future
self-government. offered an address Of
acknowledgment to the Grand Duke Mich
the defeat of the Germans is our VIC
tory In each Of US there lives only
one will. to break the German power
and to unite Poland under Russia's
scepter."
''In q chapter" writes Hardin. about
the second Prussian king. Treitsche
says: Neither in Poland nor in Be-
lin was II recognized that Polish free
dom was anything else than foreign
dominion over millions of Slav. Lith-
uanian. Jewish and Volhynian subjects.
who had nothing in common with their
masters. Austria. inwardly related to
the Catholic state of mobiles allied with
1t for centuries. hoped in a strengthen
ed Polish empire to find cover for itself
against at the same time Russia and
Prussia. Prussia. on the contrary, only
had to fear from reviving of the Po-
lish power the greatest danger to the
German Vistula territories -
The Petrograd journal the Reich
puts aside the vagueness Of the Ian
guage used in President Wilson's peace
address and sees in the Presidents
words something Tin the main Identical
with the views of the allies on the aims
of the war"
It says:
1T is very comforting to note Presi-
dent Wilson's entire solidarity with all
that has been repeatedly declared by
such responsible leaders as Grey. As
quith. Lloyd George. Ralfour. BRAND
and others. Lofty as these views are.
1t cannot be said that they are only
Wilson's personal views that they
are baseless and Utopian dreams. They
are the views OF the entente. and ths
fact that America now adopts them
hrt inc hi Of al
realization. 1t is only the Germans
who hitherto have opposed this
The Reich then discusses at length
what it terms Mr. Wilson's excessively
broad Interpretation OF the Monroe
doctrine and opposes that the sUgges-
ton of a permanent peace cannot he
established IL one side is victorious"
A permanent international organiza-
ton can. it admits. only he based on
the principle of the equality of all OF
its members. but n necessary prelimi-
nary is that pretensions to inequality
should be removed. Mr.. Wilson's word.
apparently mean that he does not de-
sire an entente victory. but would like
to see a draw. But the Reich urges
that II the war ends in a draw Will
sons own ideals cannot be attained"
1t Is not true. moreover. says N.
Miliukoff. the author of the article IN
the Reich. that the
Tndenendence idea OF the indie
pendence of Poland
Not Assured. is generally agreed
on. Germany and Austria speak OF q
| Arm connection" and the Russian gov.
eminent OF a free Poland in union
with Russia
A dispatch dated Petrograd. January
q, announces an imperial rescript ad-
dressed by Emperor Nicholas TO the
new Russian premier, Prince Golotzlne.
reminding him with other things that
the government should direct ITS hrst
attention to the question OF prov,s.oh
ing the armies and the civil population
of Russia Another problem, saws the
rescript Of the emperor. ito which
attach supreme importance is the lnr-
Their improvement OF transportation
railway and waterway
That these are not merely WORDS tHe
attentfon of the reader is invited to the
recent opening of a railway from feIFo-
grad north to the Arctic ocean TO Port
Romanoff. in the province of Mournahe'
ters. or SIS miles. This construction mas
been attended by extraordinary diihcul-
ties of both climate and soil the oo1ect
at present is military. but after the "aT
great port of expectation TO Canada ana
the United States. Some idea OF the I'M
portance attached by the government 70
the opening of this road viii be founa
in the fact that its construction nas
necessitated the employment OF ioie0
of 10000 men,
This event has great military impor-
lance The line, In effect, VIII PERM,
Russia and her allies to be proTislonen
during the entire year without having
recourse to the Scandinavian transit.
which has become very limited because
of the restrictions of Sweden
Russia. whose importations before
the war were made by way or the oar-
danelles. after the closing of the straits
and in the presence of a German Meet
in the Baltic was almost completely
deprived of means of COMMUNICATIONS
with her allies. She was therefore
forced to turn to the ADVERTISEMENTS
Wan route to provision herself. but, as
we have said, the strict code of neu-
trails obliged her to forego receiving
munitions or medicines by that way
Since the detection of Bulgaria Rus
sia's isolation was nearly complete.
There remained the port
Isolation of of Archangel. OF which
much has been said re-
huSSla. Gently, but for a fact its
Importance is small; it is difficult OF
access. added to which ice exists dur
ing two-thirds of the year. all of which
rendered it of little service during war.
Thus the Russian government thought
of retaining the port during hostili-
ties, a project which it had nourished
since a long time. of uniting the CEN
ter of the country to a port accessible
even during the bad season-port IN the
glacial ocean. but which is. neverthe-
less bathed by the warm waters of the
Gulf stream Port Romanof
The project was as difficult of eNecu-
ton as 1t appeared grand. but, given
the Importance and urgency Of the
want, the necessity became indfsputa-
BILE and the government went to work
without the ordinary delays of chan
celleries.
The road to be executed was divided
into four sections. The first, of 800
attached the capital, Petro-
grad. to PetroZovodsk; the work was
achieved during 1915 In March. 1919.
the section Petrozovodsk-Soroka 1860
from Kola. became part; Ro-
manor, go kilometers: Kandelakcha-
Soroka 400 kilometers. 1t is the lat
ter which has Just now been completed,
joining the north and south sections OF
the line.
The difficulties which government had
to surmount were incalculable in these
desert regions. The population was
sparse, and workmen were imported
from Norway, and even from Canada.
To the 10000 workingmen there We're
added. as guards, etc. 10000 Czeehs.