The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-01-04
FORMATION OF
REPUBLIC OF
POLAND one
OF PROBLEMS
Question of Aid to be Render
ed Poles at Peace Confer
ence Presents Difficulties to
Allies.
SEA OUTLET IMPORTANT
ey FRANK n. SiMONDS.
Copyright. 1919. by The Mcclure

Gy VnANN ~. Si"OiSOo'
Copyright, 1919, by The Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
Two weeks ago in my article ! dis
cussed the transformation OF south
eastern Europe and the rise Of three
states, Roumania. Jugo-Slavia and
CZecho-Slovakia. with the correspond
ing construction Of Hungary to the ter
ritories which are actually Inhabited
by Magyars. In the present shall
try TO review the Polish question as 1t
must come before the Versailles Con-
ference where is must prove ono OF
the most intricate and important that
will have to be settled.
At the very outset 1t is we'll to rec
ognize the international importance
OF Polish state. We have seen the
international Importance Of Polish
state. We have seen that the erection
OF strong Latin and Slav states In
southeastern Europe promises sub
stantial and enduring barrier against
"a new German effort to restore the
Mitt!eeuropa Of other days and cross
ing the straits to lay hands, first
upon Asia Minor. Syria and Mesopo-
tamia. and later upon Egypt and India.
Two Slav states with Latin Rumania,
each of the three nearly as large in
area as Italy, and in the main homo
geneous together with a friendly and
enlarged Greece on either side OF the
Aegean would constitute a bulwark
capable OF holding up the German
flood Moreover bound to the western
powers by sympathy, their numbers,
would make new alliance against
Germany which would prove irresist-
ible
But there were two German perils.
dimly perceived at first, but ultimate
~ fully grasped, the peril inherent
in the German design to reach the Col
den Horn and the Persian Gulf, and
the German menace expressed in the
treaty of Brest Litovsk, which reduc-
ed Russia to anarchy, tore from the
Slav race all the border reaces and
stroves to erect each Of these border
peoples into state, presumptively
independent. but actually dependent
upon Germany alike for political and
economic existence. Lithuania, Pol
and, the Ukraine. these were the three
states which were TO be as subserv-
lent to Germany as the old Confedera-
ton OF the Rhine was to Napoleon,
and through them Germany was to
chose.
Barrier for Russia.
1t is therefore essential to erect
between fallen and anarchistic Russia
and Germany a barrier behind which
Russia can regain her healt hwithout
German molestation. If the millions
OF Russians ever come under complete
German control new outbreak OF
uynr1d ;nS e.
bring on another struggle and with
Russian millions, Germany will make
new bid for world power like that
OF the recent years, when she had at
her command the millions OF Slavs
and Latins. as well as the Germans
OF the Hapsburg dominions. A per-
manent peaceful organization of Eu.
rope demands barrier along the
Vistula as well as on the Danube and
In the Pennsylvania highlands.
For such barrier the solid block
OF Polish people inhabiting the Vistula |
valley. supplies the racial and the his /:
torical material There was a Polish !!
nation for centuries, 1t was only aboI- |
Ished in the latter half of the eigh- !
feenth century and it survived in the !
shane of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw
until the Congress of Vienna Today
there are at least 100000 Poles in |
regions once portion of a Polish |
kingdom and these people have pre-
served vivid memory of their old
glory and possess a keen and compell-
ing desire to become citizens of new
Poland
Concessions Made.
Al the outset OF the present war
both the Central Powers and Russia
recognized the necessity of making
temporary concessions to the Poles.
but both made them with no honest /
intent to fulfill them After Russia's
defeat Germany did organize a Polish
state out OF the Russian districts be-
longing to the old kingdom of Poland
but she never for moment consider.
ed ceding 70 this state her own Polish
districts, instead. she looked forward
10 a future acquisition of more Polish
territory at the expense of the Poland
She had permitted provisional indie
pcndence, Nor did Austria consent to
surrender her Poles. but urged the al. h
tentative proposition that Russian Pc.
and be Joined to Austrian Galicia to
make Polish state which should be
'n integral portion of the Hapsburg :
monarchy, with. something like the
itates of Hungary.
With the collapse of Russia and the ,
lefeat of the Central Powers the
'olish problem passed to the western ,
'aticns for settlement. IL is now for !,
he Versailles Conference to draw the
rontiers OF the new nation. since
Germany and Russia cannot longer re-
list the cession to the new state of =
heir own Polish regions. while Aus =,
ria has ceased to exist Recogniz-
hg that 1t is essential for the future y
afety OF Europe that there should be 7
strong Poland. We can now consider
he elements in the problem. n
There are many Polands, and the \
,rst step must be to examine them in a
>e light OF present conditions. The v
reatest of ell PoIands is the state L
'hich extended from the Dwina to v
he Oder and from the Baltic to the "
Continued on Page Twelve.) b