The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-05-18

POLAND is SUFFERING
GREATLY IN CONFLICT
Attitude One Of Waiting Like
That Of the Mouse
FATE MOST UNCERTAIN
Million and Half of Her Sons
Are Enrolled Among the
@ BeIligerents
LOWELL MELLETT.

London, April 20.-[By Mail j
The ancient kingdom of Poland just
now presents the attentive attitude
of the mouse that waits to see which
way the cat will jump.
1t might be possible to express the
| situation in a more pleasant way, but
the expression is that of DR.. Leon Lit
winski, spokesman for the Poles in
London. Poland, first caught in the
mangle of the Russian advance and
German retreat, and then in the
mangle of the German and Russian
retreat probably has suffered as
greatly as any country of Europe,
not including Belgium or Serbia.
A million and 40 half of persons
have been enrolled as beiliger-
ents, 100000 in the Russian armies
and 100000 in the German and Aus
trian armies.
| Is Desperate Neutrality.
But Poland's position in present
lWeltpolitik 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
complete independence. But there
is this drawback, DR.. Leon Litwinski
explained. Russia is promising indie
lpendence to territory occupied by
German troops.
And there is more or less of a
string attached to Germany's pro-
posal, which is completely re-
united Poland with its own local
government, under the wing of the
German Empire, somewhat like the
Iiposition of Bavaria. The string is
the unrelenting emphasis on the sug-
gestion that Poland raise an army of
her own against Russia.
ga reunited Poland would be a
great betterment of our before-the-
war situation" said DR.. Leon Litwin-
ski, "but what we want, of course,
| is both reunited and an independ-
emit country. We have been immensely
encouraged by the proclamation of
the new Russian government, though
Previous Russian assurances, ma
turally, did not impress us very
much'
Colossal" They Explained.
-"De you consider that President
Wilson'S mention of Poland in his
discussion of possible peace terms
| has had effect?"
NOh. colossal" exclaimed DR..
Eitwinski.
COLOSSAL echoed DR.. George de
Sweitochowslxi, Colossal. colossal 7
repeated the other Poles in the
room.
cit was this way" said DR.. SWEET.
lochowski: "TlreFe's been lot or
generalizing about small -neions and
there's beer some mention OF Bel
GUM and Serbia, but beyond that
nobody has ever gone. The case or
Poland has been handled very gin
gerly. There has been the fear. per-
| hans. that it might be necessary TO
lido a lot of compromising when IL
lcame to settle Polands case. Presl-
jdenf Wilson left no room for doupt'
tso far as he was concerned; he de-
clared it should be reunited, autono-
mons. Independent Poland; Now we
know where we've got one rear
| friend"
| "Suppose it becomes an indeDend-
| emit Poland. will It be a republic OF
| a norarchv?'
sThat is now uncertain, Hitherto
1.-The Poles have had in mind new
Kingdom of Poland But monarchies
searo to be going out.
sgf our INDEPENDENCE comes
Through Russia. where the demo-
cratic ideal has taken real holq.
nndoubtIy the disposition would be
/ to make Poland republic IL
through Germany. limited rnonar-
chy would seem most likelv-un'ess
there is p. decided change in Ger
many in the meantime