Perth Amboy evening news., 1917-05-16
POLAND'S FATE
IN GREAT DOUBT
Poland Has Suffered as Much
as Belgium or Servia-Up-
heaval in Russia to Decide
Future of Ancient Kingdom.
BY LOWELL MELLETT


Omitted Press Staff Correspondent
London, April 20 (By maiD-The
ancient kingdom OF Poland Just now
presents the attentive attitude OF the
mouse that waits to see which way
the cat will jump.
It might be possible to express the
situation In a more pleasant way, but
the expression is that OF DR.. Leon
|LitwinslSi, spokesman for the Poles
in London. Poland. first caught In
the mangle of the Russian advance
and German retreat and tNen in the
mangle of the German advance and
Russian retreat, probably has suffered
as greatly as any country Of Europe,
not including Belgium or Serbia. A
million and a half of her sons have
been enrolled as belligerents, 800. 900
In the Russian armies and 100000 in
the German and Austrian armies.
But Poland's position in present
|weltpoiitik is that of desperate neu-
trality. Both Germany and Russia
have promised her much. Poland
wants to cash one of those promises.
OF the two. Russia offers the more
la complete independence. But there
Is this drawback, DIR. Litwinski ex-
planned. Russia Is promising inde-
pendence to territory occupied by
German troops.
And there is more or lass of q
string attached to Germany's pro-
posal, which is a completely reunited
Poland with its own local govern
ment, under the wing of the German
Empire, somewhat like the position
of Bavaria. The string Is the unre-
llenting emphasis on the suggestion
that Poland raise an army of her own
against Russia.
"A reunited Poland would be a
great betterment of our before-the-
war situation" said DR.. IitwinslSi,
but what we want. of course. is both
q reunited and an independent coun-
| try. We have been immensely en-
new Russian government, though
previous Russian assurances, natur-
ally, did not impress US very much"
"Do YOU consider that President
Wilson's mention of Poland in his
discussion of possible peace terms
has had effect?"
"Oh. colossal" exclaimed DR.. Lit
winslki.
"CoIossal!" echoed DR.. George de
repeated the other Poles in the room.
''It was thi" way" said DIR. Sweito-
choWski There's been a lot of gen.
eralizing about small nations and
there's been some mention of Bel
gium and Serbia, but beyond that no.
body has ever gone. Tie case of
Poland has been handled very GIN
gerly. There has been the fear, per-
haps, that it might be necessafy to
do q lot OF compromising when 1t
came to settle Poland's case. Presi-
dent Wilson left no room for doubt.
as far as he was concerned: he de-
clared 1t should be q reunited. auto
uomous, independent Poland! Now
we know where we've got one real
friend"
Suppose 1t becomes an independ-
ent Poland. will it be a republic or a
monarchy"
'"That Is now uncertain. Hitherto
the Poles have had In mind q new
Kingdom of Poland But monarchies
seem to be going out.
'If our independence comes
through Russia. where the democra-
tic ideal has taken a real hold, un-
doubtedly the disposition would be to
make Poland republic. If through
Germany. a limited monarch would
Seem most likely-unless there is a
decided change in Germany in the
MI tt1aa