POLAND.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 297, 25 May 1915, Page 7

POLAND.

II KB IIISTOKY. POSITION AND ASPIRATIONS. (I 1 !)' a. New Plymouth' Pole). During the of/0 years before, the political independence of Poland was lost ■Poland, inhabited by three nationalities, joined together by'free will (the Poles, Huthorians and Lithuanians) was the v.'i'iipim of Western Kurope against the Tartars and, the Turks. At the saint time it was the only country in the Continent of Kurope in which a full political and religious freedom existed. Poland has not had religious wars or persecutions and never in its history conducted a war of invasion. The lyng was elected for life and could do nothing without the Parliament. At tee i-nd of the IStli century their

neighbors Kussia and Prussia, became from negligible small States strong autocratic monarchies. Aw such they feared that the bad (sic) example o'f freedom in 'Poland might inspire their own subjects with a desire for greater liberty. In h7!)4, after a war of invasion from the east and west, precipitated by steps taken in Poland to liberate the peasants, Poland lost its political independence. Austria .participated as third in the spoil.

Notwithstanding the political division, the.'Polish nation lias not ceased to exist and light for its independence. A Polish army was formed in France, which fought all over Kurope as part of Napoleon's army. By the Treaty of Tilsit (18(1:1) Napoleon taking from Prussia and Austria part of their spoils formed the great Duchy of Warsaw. After the defeat of Napoleon, the Congress of Vienna (1S15), in which all the Powers ■participated, increased the. Duchy of "Warsaw by a small part of Kussiiin spoil and formed the small kingdom of Poland, the Czar of Kussia being nominated the King. The signatories (including many European powers) of the Act guaranteed the 'Polish Constitution, and the freedom of national life in the parts remaining with Prussia and Austria was assured.

A few years later linssia began to disregard the Polish Constitution, which attitude led to the war of 1831. The Furopean Powers disregarded the lippeals made by Polish patriots, and Poland was crushed again. The Prussian and Austrian 'Governments also failed to uphold their promises. The desperate upheaval of IS(>3 finish-

Ed in the defeat of the Polish revolutionaries and cruel persecutions followed. Thousands of 'Polish families were driven to Siberia suffering unspeakable horrors. But. after all, the Polish nation continued a hidden life in Russia and Prussia, having obtained fortunately in Austria some sort of restricted home rule—Austria having become a constitute—" l monarchy. From this time forward flalicia became a refuge for all politically persecuted iPoles. The patriotic life, continued in the form of social and literary gatherings, the nucleus of a future Polish army being formed by the gymnastic association called "Soh-ol." The Polish nation has never lost, its unity the frontiers forming only artificial and superficial demarcation.

The Poles have not been astonished that the international engagements sucli as the neutrality of TSelgimn have been so openily disregarded during the pre-

sent war. It was not the first time. During the whole of the 19th century Poland was suffering owing to the 'Powers disregarding their solemn engagements towards the Polish nation—the regime of mailed list and political persecutions being tolerated by all the European Governments for political convenience. Kurope dictated reforms in Turkey which she had to carry out owing to her weakness, but the'welfare of millions of Poles in Dussia and Prussia, those being strong countries, interested nobody. The Poles also have not been aston-

ishod about the recent Prussian methods of "diplomacy" ami warfare. During many past years all flic political difficulties which the Pole could have in the Vienna Parliament or in the Rurslan Duma were traced to Berlin, and Berlin alone inspired the Dome troubles in Galieia between the Poles and Rutlionians. J The (lonium Consulate in Lcmberg (the capital .of Galicia) bad during several years to be continuously guarded by the police before the anger of vlie younger Polish inhabitants. As a reciprocal measure for exceptional and cruel laws made against the Poles in German Poland, the Calieian Poles form, cd active associations whose members •pledged themselves not to buy Prussian manufactured goods, and to drive out from Galicia the Prussian trade. IWhat happened at the start of the present war? Polish soldiers found themselves in the Kussian, Austrian and German armies, being absolutely strange to tlie interests involved. The three armies of former invaders of Poland are fighting on Polish territory which by right should not belong to either of them, and the 'Polish population is suffering enormous and irreparable losses, without hope of effective help from any of the States involved, as each Government will care in tins first place for the subjects speaking the language of the governing population. A very large •proportion of the Poles in Austria. Russia and Germany speak only the Polish language.

In Austrian .Poland, by the beginning of the war, in addition to the Poles serving in the Austrian army by eomnulsion, national Polish legions wore formed in the hope that with Austria's help an independent Poland might be formed. After the command of the Austrian army* passed to the German "tall', the Polish legions preferred to disband, having no interest or sympathy with the Germans or their aims.

All the Poles are strong in the faith, which vannot be abolished by any political influences of their invaders, that the Polish nation has the right to its iwn suzerainty, and that sooner or later the time will come when it will regain full independence.