The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-09-09

suits, however, have already been made rIain. When at some future time, the chastened Huns sit down to con anew their lessons of diplomacy, it can be prophesied that the Polish campaign will be marked as a horrible example, ana not as d model for future activities. The | German course actually drove the Rus sian Poles Jews and Christians alike | into the arms of their former Cossack l oppressors. They even weakened the confidence of the Germans resident In l Poland. Of even more importance were | the disturbances created in the Austrlan | and German governments by reason o1
 the furore caused by the German pun derbund type of administration. In Aus | fria it brought about the collapse ot the cabinet following the absolute refusal
 of the Polish deputies to vote WAT credit, and Austria has not yet recovered
 from the shock given to it's governmental system. In Germany, turmoil was also | precipitated so that in the end the Poush deputies refused to support the last peace note which was presented. In both the l Austrian and German l'arliaments the movement spread from a mere demand I for restitution, to positive parliamentary demands for the acknowledgement of the
 Polish nationality and along lines lald down by President Wilson, even though the name of the chief executive of the 1 United States was not directly used
 In short. the black arts German mind
 was hoisted by it's own petard. Instead | of destroying the Polish nation, it really helped to create it and one, by one in
 the various diplomatic notes, the allies l have made commitments in favor of a new and independent Poland. The ablest 1 American statesmen have also been won to the cause and no less an authority | than Senator Lodge has given it as his T13 -fsN4e rf 1nfp
 already a fixed topic for the council table of peace. In our own state department, it can be said, extraordinary progress has been made under the inspiration of | the president in forwarding the cause. I New Poland has become a material fact and not mere topic for academic dis Il cussion.
 I But the German mad administration of
 Poland has also had new effect in unf- flying the ambitions and aspirations of
 the 100000 Poles in America. At the be-
 ginning of the war and even after the
 actual entry of the United States, a di-
 vision existed among the Poles in the
 United States as to their sympathies Many of them who had suffered under
 Russian rule were dubious as to the sim l cerity of the professions being made They had the fear that this was just simply death-bed repentance, and that
 Russian convalescence would be followed l by return to the attacks on their na- l tionality. Faced by the horns of di- lemma, they were inclined to side with
 the central powers as the best way out. Others argued that they should adopt a course of absolute neutrality awaiting l developments before making any positive
 decision. There is no doubt that many
 of them would have continued in this at- ! titude, sullen, if not suspicious, watch CTS of the course of the United States, but for these German excesses. The Ger
 many theory, as blatently announced by
 the German governor general of the
 Polish province, that the real solution of the Polish problem could only be I had by the extermination of the Polish people was what aroused their man-
 hood.
 There are still divisions among the Polish people in America but the divi- sions are over minor details of cam paign management. One group is en