South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-01-05

Two weeks in my sunday article I discussed the
transformation OF southeastern Europe rise OF
three states Roumania Jugo-slavia and Czecho-Iova-
Ria. with the corresponding construction Hungary
10 the territories which are actually inhabited by Mag
Hars In the present shall try review the Polish
question 1t Versailles confer
ence where it must prove one OF the most intricate
and important that will have settled
AT the outset it is well the interna-
ton importance OF Polish state. We have that
the erection Of strong Latin and Sav states in south
eastern Europe promises a substantial and enduring
barrier against German effort to restore the
Mttleeuropa of other days and crossing the Straits
lay hands first Asia Minor and Mesopota
mia and later Egypt and India Two Slav states
with Latin Roumania each of the three nearly large
IN area Italy, and in the main homogeneous to-
sether with friendly and enlarged Greece either
side Of the Aegean would constitute a bUIwark capa-
BILE Of holding the German flood. Moreover, bound
10 the western powers by sympathy. their numbers
would make alliance against Germany which
would prove irresistible.
But there German perils. dimly perceived
at first but ultimately fully grasped the peril inherent
in the design o reach the Golden Horn
the Persian Gulf, and the German
the treaty Of Brest Iitovsk which reduced
anarchy tore from the lay mass ALI the border races
and each these border peoples into
en upon GERMAN alike for political and economic ex-
istence I,uthuania Poland the Ukraine these were
three the which be subservient
10 Napoleon and through them Germany to be
able to enter Russia when she chose
1t is therefore essential erect between fallen
anarchic Russia and Germany a barrier behind which
Russia regain her health without German moesta-
ton II the millions Russians under
o
ambition Will nfalbly bring on another struggle anc
with millions Germany ma new
world like that of the years when she
had her command the millions of slavs and Iatns,
we'll the Germans of the Hapsburg domincns.
permanent peaceful organization of Europe demands a
barrier along the vistula well the Danube and
in the Transylvanian Hishlands.
RACIAL MATERIAL FOR
BARRIER.
For such barrier the block OF Polish people
inhabting the vstua valley supplies the racial and
the historical material. was a nation
centuries: it only abolished the latter half of
the eighteenth century survived in the shape
the Grand Duchy of warsaw until the Congress OF
Vienna. Today there a least 2O.0OO,OOO Poles
regions a portion a Polish kingdom these
peoples have preserved vivid memory of their old
glory and keen and compelling desire be-
citizens of Poland.
At the outset Of the present war both the central
powers recognized necessity of making
temporary concessions the Poles, but both made
them with n honest intent fulfill them.
sias defeat Germany did organize a Polish out
OF the Russian districts belonging to the old Kingdom
Poland. but she for a moment considered ced-
Ing this state her Polish districts instead she
looked forward a future acquisition OF Polish
territory the OF the Poland permit
a provisional independence. Nor did Austria
her Poles but the alternative
proposition Poland be joined Austrian
Calicia make Polish state which should be an in
tegral portion of the Hapsburg monarchy, with some
thing like the Hungary.
With the collapse of Russia and the defeat OF tie
Central the Polish problem passed to the west
err nations settlement II the Versailles
conference the frontiers the nation,
since Germany longer resist IL
o the Of their Polish regions.
while Austria has ceased 10 exist. Recognizing that IL
essential for the future safety or Europe that theie
should "a Poland, consider the
elements in the problem
There are many Polands and the first step must
examine them in the light of present conditions.
The greatest all the which extended
the Dwina the oder and from the Baltic to
the Carpathans. a country larger than contem-
porary European nation, Russia This Poland for
a brief touched the Black sea, early
withdrew the Middle Dniester and Dneper. This
was Poland for the First Partition in 1872. but
not Poland of Poles merely; all the fringes
this alien subjects. Lthuanians,
White Russians, Ruthenians and Roumanians on the
east and south. Germans the west
CONTRAST WITH THE
POLAND OF FACE
BY contrast with Poland Of history there
Poland Of fact. the main, but quite the Poland
OF the last Partition in 1895. This is the true Poland
the western half Of Austrian Galica and all por-
o the German provinces of Posen and
sia and Slesia. Actually the Poles are IN minority
IN all provinces save Posen although constituting
majority many subdivisions. In this dwell some
e0O0O0oO Poles. 100000 in old Russian terri
tory 100000 in Austrian and approximately 1000
German.
For themselves the Poles claim all OF this region so
far as it Polish that is, except limited
area where the German and Slav be easily
rated without inurng the larger solidarity OF the
But in addition they lay claim outly-
ing districts which there Polish minority
Polish and Lithuanian claims conflict Grodno
and wilma Ruthenian and Polish Cholm and Eastern
Galicia where Lemberg the capital, is Polish city
Ruthenian region At Brest LitoNsk the cession
of Cnolm the Ruthenians, that the Ukraine
led 10 violent Polish protest while have recently
seen lighting for Lemberg. Again, the Poles CLAIM
The population White Russian has.
one say. shown opposition TO incorporation WITH
the Poles.
II is the dream the poles that the Lhuanians will
seek ue federation with the Poles such existed
I'm the past centuries when the great Jageon family
of Lthuania supplied Poland with her kings But the
undertook TO prevent this by creating
ate Lithuanian state. ana the desire Of the IAthu-
nians independent existence seems unmistakable.