Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-20
POLES TURN DEAF
EAR TO GERMANS
Refuse to Enlist Under Teuton
Banners in New
Created State.
PREFER TO BE RUSSIANS

From a StaT Correspondent OF the Associated
Press.
GENEVA. Switzerland, February 20
The appeal to the Poles in the newly
proclaimed kingdom to enlist in the
Polish army and fight under Austro
German banners for the new state has
fallen on deaf ears. according to recent
information brought from Warsaw by
neutral and German visitors.
The leaders of the new army have
been formed and a considerable num-
Der of officers and men from the old
Austrian Polish Legion and from the
Polish troops of the German army
have been brought to the occupied dis
tricts of Poland to instruct the Polish
volunteers, but only a few hundred
troops most of them students in War
saw University. who volunteered in the
first flush of enthusiasm following the
proclamation of the kingdom, are said
to have come forward. The two Polish
army corps, of which the German adSo-
Gates of establishment of the new Po-
land spoke a the probable contribution
from the kingdom to the armies of the
central powers are declared to show no
signs of ever coming into existence.
Are F1ocking to Factories.
The Polish workmen and peasants, it
appears from the accounts of develop
ments in Poland that have reached here,
show a decied Discrimination to take up
arms, and the labor shortage in Ger
many has been made good in no small
degree, it is asserted, by an exodus to
Germany of Poles who feared being i'm
pressed into the new army, and who
decided to seek safe employment in the
German munition factories or on farms
rather than face the risk of being
drafted as soldiers. Nor are large e1e-
ments of the Polish population display
ing any keen enthusiasm, returning
travellers state, for the civil organIZa-
ton of the new kingdom.
The fear of the consequences in case
Russian rule should by any possibility
be re-esta blished exercises a lively de-
terrent influence upon many Poles,
even those not suspected of any liking
for Russia, it appears, and there is as
serted to be quite widespread deter
minauion. even among the leaders who
probably would welcome the permanent
establishment of new kingdom under
Austro-German auspices, to wait and
see the result of the war before they
commit themselves to the new order.
Say They Are Still Russians.
The Polish council of state came into
existence only AFTER long NEGOTIATIONS
between the various parties, and the
attempt to bring the representatives of
all these parties into the council had
finally to be abandoned Men like
Prince Lubomirsky, who headed the
provisional civil government of War
saw after the Russians were expelled
are quoted as saying frankly that ac-
cording to the law of nations they are
still Russian subjects and cannot par
ticipate in government under the new
order until they are formally absolved
from their obligations under the peace
settlement
Sentiment in Germany on the advisa-
bility of proclaiming the Polish king
dom was divided from the start, and
the reported lack of enthusiasm among
the Poles over cooperation by their
arms and with their counsels in the
establishment of q national entity
under Austro German oversight seems
to have weaned over to opposition
many Germans who at first favored
the new kingdom. Some speculation is
being INDUCED in, therefore, as to
whether the indicated developments
may not affect Germany's ultimate poll
icy toward Poland in the peace nogotia-
tions. In some German quarters, in
deed, the question is being asked:
why should Germany make sacrifices
to establish the kingdom if the Poles
are not willing to fight for it,"