The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-01-06
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
BY FRANK II. slMONDS.
Copyright, 1919. by The Mcclure

Newspaper Syndicate.)
Two weeks ago In my article l 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 II
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 II is well TO rec
ognizo 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 a SUD.
s.antial and enduring barrier against
n new German effort to restore the
Mittleeuropa OF other days and cross
ing the straits to lay hands, first
upon Asia Minor, Syria and Mesopo-
.amia 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
rcneous together with friendly and
enlarged Greece on either side OF the
Aegean would constitute bulwarK
capable of holding up the German
food Moreover bound to the western
powers by sympathy, their numbers,
would make a new alliance against
Germany which would prove irresist-
'ble.
But there were two German periis.
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 I.itovsk, which reduc-
ed Russia to anarchy,gt.ore from the
Slav race all the border reaces and
strove to erect each OF these border
peoples into state. presumptivelv
independent, but actually dependent
upon Germany alike for political and
economic existence. Iithuania, Pol
end. the Ukraine, these were the three
states which were to be as subsery-
lent to Germany as the old Confedera-
ton of the Rhine was to Napoleon,
and through them Germany was TO
be enabled to enter Russic when she
chose.
Barrier for Russia.
II Is therefore essential to erect
between fallen and anarchistic Russa
ard Germany barrier behind whicr
Russia can regain her healt hwithouf
German molestation. IF the millions
OF Russians ever come under complete
German control new outbreak or
German world ambition will infallibly
bring on another struggle and with
Rusian 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 we'll as the Germans
of the Hapsburg dominions per
manent peaceful organization of Eu-
rope demands barrier along the
Nistula as well as on rhe Danube and
IN The Pennsylvania highlands.
For such a barrier The solid block
Of Polish people inhabiting the Vis'u'a
valley, supplies the racial ant the his
tr"ical material There was Polish
nation for centuries, 1t was only abol-
ished In the latter half OF the eigh-
teenth century and il survived in the
shane Of the GRAND nnchy of Warsaw
until the Congress ci Vienna Today
.hcre are at least % 10000 Poles in
r'c'Ors once . portion OF Polish
kingdom aad the.o people have pre-
served a vivid memory of their old
glory and posTccs keen and compel
Ing desire to become citizens OF a new
Folacd
Concessions Made
~ the Cu+Sei Of the Dresep. war
both the Central Powers and Russia
recognized the necessity % making
70,
~ both made them with no honest
!.':rn' 10 fllfn them After Russias
iefefl Germany did organize Polish
s'a'" oui oil. the Russian districts be-
longing 10 tie old kingdom of Poland
NJ -, r"~cr for moment consider
~ c"din- 10 this state her own Polish
i's-r!cfs. in,.ead. she looked forward
. o future acquisition Of mora Polish
-,-''orv NJ he expense Of lhe Poland
'h- al 2".:nI,tcd a provisional indie
oondarcn. Nor did Austria consent 10
sG-rerder her. .'cles. hit urged the al.
- tive proposition that Russian Po-
AID IN inired to Austrian GSlicia to
,.afe Polish state which should be
~ ia'Arrtl portion of the Hapsburg
monarchy. with something like the
;'ai;s CT Hungary.
Wi'h TIE co'lGnse CT Russia and the
ic'cs' Fl the Central Powers the
2oii' 4 prob.ca, passed to the western
,ar'c-s for settlement I. is now for
n Versailles Conference to draw the
',oiitiers of the new nation since
scfjcany and Russia cannot longer re-
Ut the co-ainrl to the new state OF
heir own ?c.i,A regions. while Avs
r., hns ceased to exist Reco"niz-
NJ flat ~ IS essential for the future
Hrr:y 81 Eurorc that there Shouts be
[, stron- ?c.ard. we can now consider
a., elr.,cnts Ia the problem
Elcre ere may oolanAs, and the
i~t s..r rrrst Re 20 examine Their, n
70 i.-r. ~ Hr.7-rt conditions. The
-, s.,,e. o. ~ Polands IS :ho state
ri,s e,."r' - FROM tie Dw.aa
he ODER AND frc.1 tho rsi'c 20 IT,
lCaa;:nuoo on Page Tselvo)