New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-09

many of Polish-speaking districts; the
second is the political union OF the new
Poland with Austria. But it is very prob
ablc that the Allies would accept pro-
posal for free Poland consisting OF all
Of Russian Poland and the Austrian prov
:nce of Galicia, and that from their point
of view, provided the complete lndepen-
dence of this new Poland were assured,
this would constitute satisfactory settle
ment of the Polish question, which is one
of the great obstacles in the way of peace
1t is true that many Poles and many
Allied champions of the Poles believe that
the German territories inhabited by Poles
should be restored to this branch Of the
SIav people. But this raises very intri-
cate problems and involves the actual dis
memberment of Germany incident to the
separation of the German-speaking dis
tricts of East Prussia from the main mass
Of German-speaking people in Prussia by
the strip of territory which would connect
the new Poland with the Baltic at Danzig.
On the other hand, it must be recog-
nized that in assigning this partially re-
stored Poland on the present plan to
Austrian control the Germans are actually
doing again what they have successfully
accomplished in Bulgaria. 1t would never
be possible for Austria alone to control
and defend the new Poland against re-
vitalized Russia. 1t would be less posi-
BILE because the Poles Of the new state
would unquestionably look to Russia as an
ally in the work of regaining the Poles
assigned to Germany, just as Sardinia
looked to France for aid in completing
the liberation of Northern Italy. Conse-
ouently, by giving the Austrians some
thing which they cannot retain them
selves without German aid, the Germans
have skilfully prepared the way Tor
perpetuation of German domination of
Austrian affairs.
Recall that the situation of Bulgaria is
this: BY virtue of German aid Bulgaria
has taken a considerable portion of Ru-
mania. half Of Serbia and, through the
treachery of ex-King Constantine, the
Kavala district of Greece. Bulgaria cannot
presume to hold these territories against
Serbia, Rumania and Greece unless she
has German aid. Therefore, so long as she
holds these territories her policy must be
dominated by the German influence and
her statesmen must either submit to this
woke or face the necessity of resigning
practically all of Bulgaria's conquests.
Yet it is necessary to recognize, as has
been pointed out, that the physical unfit
cation of Poland will be more than three
posal. 1t goes far and away beyond Ma
poleon'S illusory Grand Duchy of Warsaw
and it brings together two of the three
fragments Of the old Polish state. The
permanence Of the partition of Poland al
wavs rested upon a continuation of COM
mon policy of Russia, Austria and Prus-
STA, and for century, despite their differ
ences on other questions, these three states
have at all times been agreed in retaining
their shares of the Polish estate. Russia
has ceased to be factor in the situation
and her new government is committed to
a policy which would amount to prac-
teal liberation of the Poles. 1t is conceiv-
able that the Russian government as it
exists at present would seriously protest
against the subsection Of Poland to Aus
trian influence, but it is very doubtful
whether it would make this the cause for
q continuation of the war, and it is certain
that the present Russian government would
not fight in order to prevent the creation
of an Independent Poland consisting OF
Galicia, old Russian Poland and the dis
tricts south of Lublin, which were wrong
fully taken from Poland by the Russians
in recent years.
There are very grave questions raised
by the proposed inclusion Of all of Cali
cia in the new Polish state. All this terri
tory was once part of Poland, but of the
nine million people who now inhabit the
province only five million are Poles, and the
San River is the dividing line between the
u NJ 81 p,+Lar;on naop1aS The Rutbe