THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS MONDAY, MARCH 17, 1919. THE NEW POLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17111, 17 March 1919, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS MONDAY, MARCH 17, 1919. THE NEW POLAND.

The forecast of the Polish settlement which is published this morning follows the lines which had been generally anticipated. It gathers the Poles of Russia, Prussia, and Austria into one kingdom, cancels the partitions which commenced in 1772 and thus does justice to the unquenchable spirit of a people who have never bowed to the conqueror, but have maintained their racial independence under whatever form of political servitude they found themselves. The Peace Congress could do no less for the Poles. It is owing entirely to the tenacity with which they have maintained themselves as a separate people that the ethnographical frontiers of the Poles correspond substantially with the historical boundaries of old Poland. Three partitions among the three most repressive military autocracies of Europe and over a century of unnatural and cruel separation have failed to destroy the essential unity of the Poles. Reunion is not only an act of simple justice; it is a necessity to the tranquility of Europe, which has suffered in many ways by the enslavement of an unoffending people and by the breaking down of the racial barrier which separated two great empires. The resurrection of Poland is the greatest single contribution the congress can make to future peace. It will not only remove such causes of war as spring from the oppression of a spirited people, but it will separate the probable combatants. Germany and Russia remain the unknown, quantities of Europe, The one may be moved to aggression by thirst for revenge. The other may | become dangerous by reason of her very weakness and disunion, or she may be disciplined by those who now terrorise her and become a centre of revolutionary wars aimed against the whole political and social structure of the continent. From whatever side danger threatens, Poland must be the bulwark of Europe, strong enough to protect either Russia from German aggression or Germany from Russian Bolshevism. Her role is likely to prove an arduous one, and for this reason her future, no less than her past, deserves every consideration at the hands of Europe. She must be as strong as she can be made by liberally-drawn boundaries, by economic and financial help, by friendly advice, and by armed assistance when and where necessary.

Poland has one inherent weakness which no statesmanship can romove. Her boundaries have litfch geographical character, and no military strength. It was so a century ago; it will be so when the old frontiers are reconstituted. Poland is but a slice of a vast plain which stretches from the Brandenburg lowlands on the west and in the east merges into the central plain of Russia. Only in the south as the country approaches the Carpathians is there any well-defined feature, and it is of the utmost importance that the new Poland, by embracing Galicia, with its mixed Polish and Ruthenian population, should roach to the Carpathian divide, and so secure a strong southern frontier. It is equally imperative, if Poland is to be a buffer between Germany and Russia, that she should touch the Baltic, otherwise the barrier might be turned from the north. This is apparently contemplated. The cable states that Poland will be reconstituted as she was before the first partition in 1772. This means that she will include the whole of Russian Poland, and that she will gain Galicia from Austria and a generous slice of Prussia. She will touch the Baltic east and west of Danzig, and her boundary to Germany will run roughly.parallel to the Vistula at a considerable distance to the west of the river. The whole valley of the Vistula is peopled by Poles, who are also found in dense masses in the south-east of Silesia, in the Posen district, and west of Danzig. East of Danzig the German element predominates, presenting a very difficult problem in the application of nationalist principles. The congress apparently intends to seek a solution in the direction of making East Prussia an independent State, separated from the remainder of Germany by Poland. There is historical precedent for such an arrangement. For many years Poland separated the eastern duchy of Prussia from the German States and at one period completely isolated it on the land side.

I The Poland which is thus outlined is worthy of the dreams of Polish patriots. At one stroke are reversed the first partition, which robbed j Poland of one-fifth of her population : and one-fourth of her territory; the second, which reduced her to onethird of her original dimensions; and the third, which extinguished her altogether. The new State will form a powerful, compact nation of over 22,000,000 inhabitants. Russian Poland will contribute 11,000,000 people, Prussia 3,500,000, and Galicia 8,000,000, of whom 45 per cent are Poles and 42 per cent. Ruthenians who are anxious to throw in their lot with Poland. Although still handicapped east and west by bad military frontiers, Poland will be strong in racial unity, in the friendship of the Allies, and in economic possibilities. The outlet to the Baltic will make her independent of foreign railways, and Danzig will become a port of firstclass importance. Europe is about to make amends to Poland in no grudging spirit. Forgotten for the

moment are the political incapacity which contributed so much to the misfortunes of the country, _ the fratricidal quarrels which assisted the designs of rapacious neighbours, the lack of management which has passed into German idiom. Remembered only are Polish idealism, gallantry, steadfastness, and suffering, the Polish Patriot who saved Europe from the power of the Turk, and the thousands of Poles who have fought for liberty the world over. From the ashes of old Poland a new State arises, and the democracies of Western Europo will watch with tender interest the growth of a foster-child whom they have placed in a position of responsibility and some danger, if also of great opportunity.