Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-19
DEATH PREFERRED
TO COMP R0M|SE
Polish Soldiers Participating in
Revolt Ask No Sacrifices
by People.
ISSUE APPEAL TO POLES
Protest Against Bartering of
Freedom With Austria to
Save Them.

WASHINGTON. August 1G-ChoosinE
death in preference 10 life a: the cx-
pense OF weakened Polish indepen.
dence, ia Polish soldiers and officers.
who participated in tho armed revolt
against Austria in February. and who
are now being court-martiale at Mar
maroz- -Sziget Hungary. have issued
an appeal to all Poles. they fear lest
Polish freedom be bartcred in the Aus
trian Parliament for their lives.
1T is therefore," they write. lin our
name and that of our soldiers tina. We
plead ardently with the Polish nation,
which he's surrounded us With such
moral comfort. TO tax full cognizance
of our works and desist from cXcrc:s-
ing any influence in our case upon the
Polish Parliamentary 'lub in Austria
If they make any attempt TO secure
concessions for us, it will be contrary
TO our wishes. for we know that such
concessions can be had only b. pledges.
compromises and commitments, which
Will make to the detriment of the Po-
lish nation. and the lessening OF the
strength of the battle for Polish free.
dom and independence"
The group. eighty-eight officers and
twcnty-six privates, are part OF the
Polish Carpathi Iron Brigade. which
followed the leadership of General Hal
Ter from Bukowina to Bcssarabia most
OF which was later consolidated with
the CzechoSlovak army. General Hal
ler is now in Paris. planning the mobi-
lization of all Polish troops in Russia
to serve with the allied armies there.
STAND READY TO MAKE
SUPREME SACRIFICE
The appeal of the Imprisoned Poles
has been received at the headquarters
OF the associated Poliih press here. a
memorial to the Polish Parliamentary
Club in Vienna says in part:
For four years, against disappoint-
ments and discouragemcnts, and amid
treacherous friendships, we stood un-
falteringly, hoping to achieve the
freedom of our motherlanG. and to that
end we were willing TO make any and
all sacrifices. Again and again our
hearts were tried by the moves Of
those who claimed to be our friends,
but we have persisted
The Brest Litovsk peace pact. which
aimed to separate from our motherla nd
territory won through ages of martyr
dom and held by ties Of blood Cthe
Government of Choln,, in Poland, which
Austria agreed TO give to the Ckrainc),
was. however. vital thrust and
final blow the remainder of our al
ready tried sodicrly faith and hope.
DECIDED TO CONTINUE
BATTLE FOR FREEDOM
1T was this pact which convinced
US that il was possible no longer for
us to continue within the Austrian
army, and strictly in accordance with
the requirements of q soldiers honor.
We decided TO continue the battle for
our netherlands freedom. but under a
different arrangement of our strength.
Our decision was the "csult of deep
prem editation. No ono depended upon
pardon. nor did any one intend to
plead for forbcarance or forgiveness
in the event Of Gcfeat. As Polish Ma
tionalists, our move was a deliberate
demonstration in protest against an
We elected become formal
partners in the general Polish mani
fcstation. AS men experienced in war
fare and its usaCcs. we selected II
portion of tho nationa! battle l:nc
which belonged 10 US"