Republican farmer., 1918-07-05
POL LAND'S ARMY MAKING DRIVE
 FOR FREEDOM

An army of 15,000 Poles, recruited in the United States, is to-day fight ing side by side with our own soldiers on the western front of France.
 Coming at the apex of our strug- gle for democracy, this announcement has a peculiar interest. Itsrecalls the memory of Kosciuszko and Pulaski and the aid which they gave to the American Colonies in the Revolution arv War. It makes the liberty-lov- ing Polish people once more fac tor in world politics. It arrays against the autocratic central powers yet an- other small nation and makes more possible of realization the dream of freedom which they have cherished for almost two centuries.
 Ignace Jan Pawerewski has been the moving spirit behind this army of American Poles. Already known to the world as a great pianist and com-- poser. he has now become great leader of men. Last fall he cancelled an important concert tour and devot- ed his time to gathering the elements of a Polish army. On october 4, at the Kosciuszko centenary celeora- ton in Chicago a new Polish battle hymn was sung both the words and music of which were written by Pa derewski. Two days later our Gov ernment formally authorized the re- cruiting of a Polish army in the Unit ed States, to be composed Of men who were not yet naturalized and con- seouently not draftable. They were sent to a camp at Niagara on the Lake for training, and steps were ta- ken to secure more ample accommo- dations for them. Trained at Fort Niagara.
 In December MT. Paderewski had conference with Secretary Baker. AS | A result, Fort Niagara was, turned over to the Poles, to be used as thelr cantonment. By February l there were 10000 soldiers established there learning the methods of modern war. Additional volunteers continued to
 come in during the weeks which fol- lowed and the Army which sailed in
 May was well prepared to face the Hun with his own kind of weapons | These fighting men are true volun- teers, They include soldiers of all ages-young men, middle-aged men. and mere boys. They receive only 5 1 cents a day as pay, and additional al lotment of $50 a year-hardly an ad- eouate bonus in these days. They ! have neither war-risk insurance nor
 pension provisions; but men with
 wholly dependent families are not per
 mitted to enlist. Their enthusiasm IS
 splendid, and they are stalking every
 thing upon their hopes of free Po- l land.
 This is not the first Polish Army to
 be formed. In addition to the Polish legion in the German Army and the
 Polish Army in Russia, there has for
 about a year been an army of Poles fighting on the side of the French. I On June 5, 1917, President Raymond
 Poincare issued an order which ere ated for the period of the war an au- tonomous Polish Army, which should be under the direction of the French
 high command but should fly the Po- fish flae-a silver eagle on a maroon field. This legion was oficered by
 Frenchmen, who have spoken in the most glowing terms of the fire and
 spirit of the troops in their command The Polish troops recruited in the United States will fly both the Polish eagle and the Stars and Stripes.
 German Oppression in Poland.
 Among the American-Polish sol diers are many Russian Poles. To un- derstand why these men hate Gere- many. we need only to refer to one of the shameful insults heaped upon them by a recent order of Gov. Gen von Beseler. Upon the walls of
 Warsaw there recently appeared an official proclamation which contain ed these words:
 "* The Government sug-
 gests that mothers having children
 should send them to Germany to be
 brought up and educated. Mothers
 who are willing to make this arrange
 ment will receive the sum of 15C marks for boy and 100 marks for g girl No other aid will be given Signed,
 Gov Gen. von Beseler. Sell the children! When in the worlds history has such a fiendisf
 proposel been made to an oppressed
 people? The response of the Polish
 people was prompt and unequivocal
 If the children must die rather thar . be sold into slavery, then they would !, let them die. There are today nc children under the age of in Pc
 land To drive home the savage lessor von Beseler ordered the deporta tioT , from Warsaw of 100000 families , leaving them to wander through tht
 starved fields of the gloomy country , Deaths from disease occur by the hun
 dreds, and no assistance whatever il
 given by the German Government tC
 the shelterless multitude.
 Early in the war the Polish situa tion was complicated by the fact tha Russia, fighting with the entente, haC
 also done Poland a great wrong. Th' overthrow of the Romanoffs relieved that strained state of affairs. To-da. .. . the Poles are in no doubtful mood a to the direction of their allegiance
 Germany is the. enemy. the foe of lib erty in every land. To lift the Ger
 man yoke is to achieve freedom.