THE WHITE EAGLE OF POLAND
{ii}E. F. BENSON
| BY E. F. BENSON |
| THE WHITE EAGLE OF POLAND CRESCENT AND IRON CROSS THE FREAKS OF MAYFAIR THE TORTOISE MICHAEL THE OAKLEYITES DAVID BLAIZE ARUNDEL |
| GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY NEW YORK |
THE WHITE EAGLE
OF POLAND
BY
E. F. BENSON
AUTHOR OF “CRESCENT AND IRON CROSS,”
“THE FREAKS OF MAYFAIR,”
ETC.
NEW
YORK
GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
{iv}
COPYRIGHT, 1919,
BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
PREFACE
This book is divided into two parts, the first of which is mainlyconcerned with the reconstruction of a Polish State after the victoriousclose of our war against the Central Empires, a policy to which theGovernments of the Powers of the Entente, including America, haverepeatedly given expression both in independent and in joint utterances.In this part an attempt is made to set forth how Poland will form anindispensable link in the cordon of free states which will for all timeprevent Germany from penetrating Eastwards at will, absorbing thecountries through which she eats her way until she lays hands on Egyptand India, and there follows on the disintegration of the British Empireher domination of the world.
To avert this, it is necessary that, among other provisions, there shallbe established a powerful Polish State, living in harmony with Russia(in whatever form Russia will emerge from chaos) and constituting apermanent barrier against the Teutonic power on its West. It is vital tothe peace of the world for which the Entente is fight{vi}ing that Poland,once split up by the partitions, should be reunited and independentagain, and thus the aim of the Entente is identical with the aspirationsof Polish patriots. It is safe to say that no more gigantic andcomplicated question has ever arisen in international politics, but itis hoped that the reader may find in this part of the book somestatement of the problem which will enable him to realize what theGerman menace Eastwards means, and how it may be checked.
Chapter II of this part of the book deals with the partitions of Polandwhich took place at the end of the 18th century, so that the reader mayunderstand not only how such a restoration of Poland is necessary forthe peace of the world, but how the Polish nation, on the grounds thatnationalities have a right to separate and independent existence, claimsthe fulfilment of one of the avowed aims of the Entente, and therighting of an intolerable injustice.
Part II deals with the internal conditions of the Russian Kingdom ofPoland from the outbreak of the war in August, 1914, down to (roughly)the end of February,