The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-02-19
81 Hh POLAND-One of the
HELPS Europe. ' "
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Copyright COmDtoD's Picture'
- HE new Poland. as revived by
the treaty of Versailles. in
1919, is mainly the vast bowl
shaped plain drained by the Vistila.
which flows into the Baltic to the
east of the free city" Of Danzig. The
treaty gave Poland practically her
old western boundary, with access
to the Baltic, but certain districts
(the Allenstein district of East Prus.
STA, and Upper Silesiaj were to vote
by "plebiscite" on their inclusion. In
both cases the vote when taken
showed majorities In favor Of con-
tinuing under German rule. The
eastern limit was long left open,
owing to the continuance of war with
Bolshevist Russia, and the conflict
ing claims of Lithiania and the
Ukraine. When this boundary was
fixed by treaty with Russia March
IS, 1920 it fell considerably short OF
the Polish boundary of 1874. Despite
long winters, wet springs, and much
marsh area, the soil Of the northern
two-thirds of Poland is fairly fertile
and most Of 1t is cultivated. Rye,
oats, wheat and barley, sugar beets,
and potatoes, are the principal
crops.
Southern Poland, even without the
rich coal and iron mines Of Upper
Silesia, has extensive mineral re-
sources-brown iron ores near Kie-
loe and Dombrowa, and elsewhere
coal and Ignite. zinc, tin, copper and
sulphur. Former Russian Poland,
which included about six-sevenths of
the restored republic, was rich In
manufactures, especially Of textiles,
beet sugar, leather and leather goods.
Warsaw, the capital, city rich In
historic memories, is also place or
great industrial Importance. LODI.
second only to Warsaw, was one OF
the leading centers Of cotton manu-
facture in the world. Cracow is IA
nous for its old university, and Po-
sen is noted for it's distilling and
milling. Lemberg, in the former Aus
trian portion, has miscellaneous
manufactures, a mid-winter fair, and
an extensive commerce-largely in
the hands OF the Jews, who consti-
tute one-fourth Of the population.
Slavic Stock
The peasants are Of Slavic stock,
more or less mixed with other races.
There are many Jews In Poland,
nearly three million of them, dating
from the days when there was no
middle class, but only landed mobiles
and oppressed serfs. The Jews be-
came the innkeepers, peddlers,
money-makers, artisans, factory
workers and commercial travellers Of
the land. And very unfortunately
for Poland, in most cases the Jews
are a separate class-distinguished
by their dress and customs as well
as by their religion-from which
fact have come "progroms" and mas
sacres of Jews, in part based upon
suspicion of lack Of patriotism in the
World War.
Poland (whose name comes from a
word meaning "plain'O became a
Christian kingdom about the begin
ming of the eleventh century. From
the thirteenth century onward there
were wars with the crusading order
of Teutonic knights, who had col
onized the Baltic coast, and with the
Mongols, who then ruled Russia. The
area of the kingdom was more than
doubled when Poland and the Grand
Duchy of Lithuania were united by
marriage under the house OF Jagel-
Ion, in 1886. After some wavering,
Poland remained Catholic at the time
Of the Reformation. John Sobiesh,
who relieved Vienna when besieged
by the Turks in 1868, is the great
national hero of Poland.
Elective Kingdom
When the Jagellon line Of kings
died out in 1872, Poland became an
elective kingdom. The practice OF
election, together with the selfish
policies of the mobiles, their posses
sion Of the liberum veto (the right OF
any noble to forbid any law he did
not like, the degraded serfdom of
the mass of the people, and the alb
sence of a middle class, paved the
way for the partitions of Poland, by
Prussian Russia, and Austria in
1772, 1893 and 1895. Napoleon's
short-lived Duchy of Warsaw QS07-
13), proved a limited and temporary
revival. An attempted revolution
in Russian Poland in 1S30-S2, was
put down with great cruelty. At the
outbreak Of the World War In 1914,
the former Polish territory was
divided as follows among the pow
ers: Russia, $4,000 squares miles
Q1,000,000 inhabitants); Germany.
22,5OO square miles 100000 in
habitants); Austria 1900 square
miles 5000, 1000 inhabitants).
Poland today is a republic with
an area Of about 100000 square
miles. equal to that of Illinois, Penn