The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-01-25
(By Natalie De Bogory)


Polish, Bohemian and Slovak lead
ers in statements issued yesterday af-
f1rmed their faith in the solution of
the problem of freTng the subject
Slavic nations through the policy for
mulated by President Wilson and the
Bolshevik government of Russia.
Polish leaders expressed themselves
as especially impressed with the fact
that the bitterest enemy of the Polish
race, Russia, has aligned herself with
President Wilson in his demand for
the reconstruction of Poland as a uni
ted and independent state.
IAN international precedent has
been established by the action of the
Bolsheviki in demanding the freedom
of Poland" said Bronislav D. Kula-
kowski, prominent lawyer and editor
of the "Wiel," the official organ of the
Polish National Defense Committee.
I'VE have been fighting autocratic
Russia and the car for centuries, and
now is the first time in our history
that the Russian government is fight
ing for our rights. Even if the weak
ness of the Russian army prevents d
satisfactory solution of the question of
the freeing of Poland, a great steE
forward will have been taken, for the
Polish question is placed outside the
sphere of discussion and sentimental
vaporings on the firm basis of interna
tional law.
1.-THE whole question was approach
ed purposely on a basis by the gov
eminent of Miliukoff. The solution OF
the Polish question was left in the
hands of the Russian Constituent AS
sembly. A common army with Russia
was also forced upon US.
Whatever the faults of the Lenine
government, at least there can be nc
doubt that it has sundered all ties with
imperialism. This is shown by the de-
mand made upon the German dele
gates at Brest-litovsk that all nations
he granted freedom and that foreign
armies be withdrawn from Poland and
Lithuania.
I'VE Poles were not surprised by
this stand, for we have known Len
ines point of view for many years
Lenine has visited Poland many times
and has studied our problems. He be-
came convinced of the justice of our
demands for a free, autonomous an6
independent Poland, and never hesita-
ted to write and speak about the issue
AS matter of fact when war was de-
clared he was arrested in Cracow by
the Austrians as a Russian spy, and Il
was only the vigorous defense of hin
AZ a Russian revolutionist on the par
of many prominent Poles which fin.
ally freed him.
at has been his belief in unlimited
freedom that has led to the disorgan-
jzation of the army. His aim is l
world revolution, with which he i:
row threatening German imperialism
st never met him, though 1 was act
lively engaged in defending the Polish
revolution of 1901. Over 400 cases wert
handled by me in Warsaw, and it wa!
only when friends warned me Of i'm
pending arrest that 1 escaped to Amer
lea. But I was at the University o
Petrograd with his brother, Uullianov
who was hanged for attempt upon thu
life of the Car Alexander Ill, in 1887
He was a particularly fine, inSepi(
man, and on the eve of his execution
when his mother and sister begged
him to sign a petition to the CA
which would have liberated him, h
refused to do so, and preferred tn
saIlows to dishonor. They are a. fam
lily of zea1ots.
whatever the mistakes committe,
by the Bolsheviki. they have played a.
, important part in modern history to
v ard the establishment of democracy
President Wilson expressed cor:ec
appreciation of them in his speech. ]
, is sufficient to compare his statemen
to that of Lloyd George to understan
why all the suppressed nations, an
, especially Poland, have declared tn
:, leadership of America as the essentia
condition for the establishment of jus
tice in Europe.
1--WE Poles have always feared tina
: Poland would become the object c
:, bargaining at the forthcoming peac
conference. The significant words vi
= tered by President Wilson on Januar
= %, 1917, brought no echo from Eul
: ope, and the dedication of the secrt
re gotiations by the Bo.sheviki show
ed that there was cause for our fear
{ But the Russian revolutions
d have put the question clearly, in az
cord with the guiding principle {
President Wilson. Our great poe
MCKENZIE, made the statem0rt veal
= ago that of the three oppressors
> Poland, Russia would be the first
. regret and amend.
at was in Poland that the first il
ternational agreement was drawn L
'e in the fourteenth century, wheA I'll
: union between that country and Litl
l. uania was contaminated. The pril
le ciple of the free with the free, ar
equals with equals was then amour
ced, and we have lived to see the g;
preston of the same thought by II
PRESIDENT of the United States. tkir
that we will soon see the establish
ment of Mittel- Europa, without &c
many; but for such an outcome 3
Peoples must be free and independer
and the Polish question viii have to
:. settled to our satisfaction"
'Lenine and President Wilson ha7
4 expressed support of the same primo
+ re, with the difference that Preside
y. Wilson will succeed and Lenine W
n fail" said Alexander Dembski, pu
le Usher and owner of the Polish Dai
Telegram"
W 'Lenine has attacked the problem
re- the freedom of small nations on
if theoretically although the principle
u being applied to Russia at the prese
le time. But President Wilson
= brought the weight of an organic
Of nation to sustain the principle. In
D. incredibly short time the United Stat
has organized an efficient army. T
business and organizing genius
A,,,o In shown than So1xyoc
the manner in which the army is /
Jig placed On working basis.
I'VE also have Bolsheviki in Polar