Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-05
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Germans. with German sympathies.
would separate the Poles from the sea.
Here would be the unacceptable cause for
new wars, for rivalries and for ambi-
tons. It seems to me that for this sit
uation there can be but one solution.
Not to include the whole seacoast from
the Polish strip to the Memei in the new
Poland would be to hold out new temp
tations for another Polish partition.
This particular problem will be long
debated; the claims of the Germans and
OF the Slavs are both imposing. All de-
pepds upon whether it be the purpose at
Versailles to follow abstract principles
vigorously or to erect living and endur-
Ing nations. with all proper regard for
conflict ing claims which do not stand
in the way Of this larger object
Whether the future Of 10000 900 of
Poles, whose race have been for two
centuries the victims Of the grossest
wrongs. Is to count. or that of 10000
Germans. themselves invaders in the
far-on times. this must be the real
question.
Aside from the problem Of the Prus-
SLAMS. however. the Polish question is
relatively simple. a new nation is go
a population as great as that of France
a century ago and an area which may
equal that of contemporary France and
VIII exceed that of reunited Italy. What
the final frontiers of this new state to
the eastward will be no man can accu-
rately forecast But on all other sides
the frontiers Of language and the princi-
pies Of self-determinatioa supply rea-
scnably safe guides.
Within this new state the population
VIII be overwhelmingly Polish. the pos
sibllities of economic expansion, with
the inclusion of the mineral districts Of
Sllesia and the restoration OF the old
manufacturing centers of LODI and
warsaw, are definite. Poland, Russian
Poland, was the factory Of Russia be-
fore the war, tho new Poland may cas-
lily possess itself of the Russian mar
ket to the exclusion Of the German, who
dreamed to dominate stricken Slavdom
at the end of the present war and eN-
pressed their purpose at Brest-Litovsk-
All Is, however, conditioned upon the
erection of real Polish state. Com
promises which sacrifice the future will
easily spoil the whole and leave Poland
once more prey to the cupidity Of
surrounding nations. A strong Po-
sion OF Germany from Russia, it will
be bulwark behind which Russia can
rise again, and it will remove from
German control the last of the subject
natlonalitles and provinces. for the pos
session of which Prussia and Germany
have dragged Europe through two CEN
turtles Of war
Most Sordid Crime in History.
The destruction of Poland was one
or the most sordid crimes in all his
tory. For 1T there was no other defense
than that of the German doctrine of
force. Poland was weak and shaken
by internal dissension. Frederick the
treat, desiring to join East Prussia to
ms kingdom by land routes and hoping
TO avoid new attacks from his old enc
mics by Turing them into a project to
despoil a neighbor. planned the first
partition.
At the congress of Vienna Alexan-
der OF Russia long nourished the no
pie idea of restoring Poland under
RUSSIAN protection. While he held
70 the idea, there was a hope for
roland, when he surrendered it Po-
land was lost. although all the SOW
ereigns at Vienna signed solemn
compact agreeing to preserve Polish
liberties within their own domains.
even this last shred of liberty Po-
land lost before long. and then passed
dured up to the hour when Germany
surrendered. In the last war, now
ending, Russian Poles fought against
German and Austrian Poles Russian
and Austrian Polish regions were
swept again and again by destructive
invasion.
Today in some fashion Poland is
emerging. Russian and Austrian
Polish districts have already united;
there is provisional government in
the old capital of Warsaw and Cra-
COW is once more Polish. Only the
other day Polish troops entered Dam
zig and Poland, and the Polish ele-
ment IS rapidly obtaining control in
upper Silesia. The great task is vir-
tually accomplished, it remains for
tiers. with a full appreciation of the
needs of the new state which is
thus created and thereafter to assure
to it protection in the future until
the dangerous days Of beginning are
over.
Dangers to Be Recognized.
That the first years win be dan
and strong Poland will deprive Ger
many of not less than 100000 of
be sure; it will take from Germany
an area three or four times as great
as Alsace-Lorraine, with mineral
wealth at least as great. 1t will in
hict a wound which Germany will
fact, merely a belated act Of justice
returning to the Poles their ancient
heritage stolen from them by Hohen-
zollern might century and a half
ago and held from them by brutal
tyranny ever since.
President Wilson has already Off
cially expressed Americas sympathy
with the Poles. Polish liberation is
one of the soundest of the fourteen
points. The western nations have
given European sanction to Polish
aspirations, while Polish troops fight
ing on the allied side in France and
elsewhere have contributed materially
to the common victory, thus renewing
the old association when Poland gave
France marshal and Napoleon
thousands of his best troops. We in
America have to remember Koscius-
ko and not a few other Poles who
fought for us in our own struggle for
liberty.
Fine Case of Poetic Justice.
In all history there had never been,
a finer example of poetic Justice than
the resurrection of Poland. Look at
the fate of her three old oppresSors.
Austria has disappeared, Russia has
gone to chaos and ruin and Prussia
is at the mercy of the great western
powers. Beaten, mutilated, Destroyer
in all save spirit by a century and
half of agony, Poland is rising again.
as Belgium and Serbia have risen
from bondage far more recent and
again the vitality of national
consciousness, the Immortality of
races. Before America began its
Independent history at Concord and
Lexington in 1775. the fall of Poland
was in sight, and the spoliation had