Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1920-08-13
FRIDAY AUGUST l3, 1920
THE TRAGEDY OF POLAND

The Great War may be over but
It would be difficult to convince a
citizen of Poland of that fact, al
though it would seem to an outside
observer that the present strife be-
tween Poland and the old enemy, for
many years the foe that had its foot
on the neck of its PROSTATE subject
kingdom concerns these two countries
alone, such is not the fact. The en-
tire world is vitally interested in the
outcome.
At the close of the World War
Poland was given her independence,
but it seems that the boundaries of
the new nation were not defined with
any degree of precision and that when
the pressure of foreign domination
was removed the Polish people were
seized with a sudden ambition to take
to themselves all of the territory
which had beer theirs under the rule
Of the Jagellons dynasty when she
was one of the great powers of the
world. From 1886 to 1872 Poland was
a powerful and furnishing kingdom,
but at the latter date the dynasty OF
the Jagellons became extinct, and the
monarchy became elective. Under its
succeeding kings internal dissensions
weakened the nation and in 1772 the
better part of the kingdom was seized
upon by Prussia, Russia and Austria
and partitioned among them. What
was left of the once powerful king
dom was completely under Russian
influence. A second and third par
tition took place and The Emperor
of Russia became also the king of
Poland, governing, however under a
constitution, which limited his powers.
In 1880 Poland (what was left of it)
rebelled and lost, and from that time
until the recent world war was gov
erned by all the refined cruelty and
brutal ferocity of succession of ty-
ranical czars.
During the World War Poland was
devastated by both the German and
the Russian armies. Her people
without a nation were by turns the
victims of the brutal Russians or the
still more brutal Germans. And even
now, that peace has come to the once
warning nations of western Europe
(paper peace } again contending
armies are facing each other on her
already blood soaked soil.
1t is not the purpose of this arti-
Gle to go into the merits of the strug-
gle between the Poles and the Rus
SLAMS, suffice it to say that appar-
emily Russian territory was invaded
by the Polish armies. Russian ar
mics resisted drove back the invaders
and have in turn invaded territory
undeniably Polish. Russia, regard
less of the fact that her government
does not meet with the appreciation
of the other powers of Europe or of
the United States, seems to be able
to hold her own and more. 1t is es-
timated that she now has an army
Of three million men in the field, well
trained and under good discipline
Before these armies Poland is help
less.
Now it remains to be seen what
the attitude of the nations which vir'
tually guaranteed the Independence
Of Poland is going to be. At pres
ent they have their hands full. France
is afraid, and rightly so, of German.
Italy is busy looking after her Fium'
affairs and Great Britain is as bus!
ss a one-eyed boy at a three rinf
circus, sitting on the lid in Ireland
riding the safety-valve in India ant
annexing everything that is lyini
around loose in Africa and Asia.
Victorious Russian armies ar
guarding her frontiers and ready t
overflow into the adjacent nations
some of which at least give evidence
Of receiving them not with resistenc
but with open arms. Should tina
occur it is more than possible tina
the world would be plunged into al
orgie of blood, almost if not quit
equal to the one from which it ha
just emerged.
The ambitions Of men and the an,
bitions Of nations have alread
caused suffering and sorrow and los
to millions, and unless they be curbe
and justice between men and nation
be elevated to the supreme place i
the councils of those who are. direct
ing the affairs of the world, the end
not yet, but more bloodshed an
more horror will be the portion Of a
already uper-afflicted world.
In the "good old days" the polit