[Russkia Vedomosti, No. 231, Oct. 8, (21,) 1914, P. 2.]
A new era of Russian-Polish relations has begun, and the noble
initiative of A.J. Konovalov, who has donated 10,000 rubles for the
needs of the war victims of Poland, offers a shining testimony.
Up to the present the Polish people have had relations with official
Russia only. The war has brought them for the first time into immediate
touch with _the Russian people_. Thousands of Polish exiles have gone
forth to our central provinces. In Moscow alone there are not less than
1,000 former inhabitants of Kalisz, to say nothing of fleeing people
from other provinces. Moscow, of course, attracts the largest number of
these unfortunates. Some particular instinctive faith draws the Poles to
Moscow, to the centre of popular Russia. To my query why she had chosen
Moscow among all Russian cities, a poor Polish woman, the wife of a
reservist, said:
"I was sent here by the military chief. 'Go to Moscow,' said he. 'You
won't perish there.'"
And indeed in Moscow the Polish exiles have not perished. They have
found here brotherly love, shelter, and food. The municipality of
Moscow, numerous philanthropists, both Polish and Russian, are rendering
them assistance.
It is needless to describe the impression made upon the Poles by this
attitude of the people of Russia. A prominent municipal worker of the
City of Kalisz, with tears in his eyes, told me: "Up to the present
moment Poland has been segregated from Russia by a wall of officialdom
erected by the Germans; now for the first time this wall has been broken
down, two peoples are seeing each other and feeling each other."
A tremendous process of mutual understanding has begun before our eyes!
It has barely begun as yet; for what has been accomplished by Russia for
Poland is but a drop as compared with what still remains to be done. It
is not enough to help the Polish immigrants in our central provinces.
Our help must be carried to the provinces devastated by the German and
Austrian hordes. Right there the scenes of misery make the hair stand
upon our heads.
Let us realize that the City of Kalisz alone has suffered not less than
40,000,000 rubles in loss of property. Representatives of Polish
municipalities with whom I had opportunity to discuss the situation told
me that in the City of Kalisz there is no longer a single drug store,
nor a grocery store, and there were about three thousand of them before.
There are numerous cities and villages where everything has been
pillaged by the German requisitions. Horses, cows, food, even
mattresses, have been taken away, and for all these ironical receipts
have been tendered: "So much worth of goods have been taken; the payment
for same will be made by the Russian Government."
Owing to the destruction of the inventory and the stock in the villages,
there is nothing to till the soil with, and the fields have to remain
unseeded.
Poland is indeed the Belgium of Russia. Belgium is aided by England and
France, but there is nobody to help Poland except us. The appeal of the
Commander in Chief has promised, in case of Russian victory, the
political regeneration of Poland, with her own religion, with her own
language, and with her own self-government. But before the political
regeneration we have to think of the saving of the unfortunate country
from starvation.
_This must be above all our national, Russian affair._ Let the
exhausted, suffering people of Poland feel that the people of Russia are
their real brothers; let them see that our words are backed up by deeds.
Perhaps in this way we shall forever clear away their ancient distrust
toward us, a distrust which unfortunately had ground in the past
relations between Russia and Poland.
We are not speaking of a commonplace charity at the present moment.
There is need for a help which should mark the beginning of a historical
change in the lives of both peoples. Both peoples should not only
silence their material sufferings, but they should draw a spiritual
comfort from this great historical trial and make it a source of their
moral vigor.
They should feel that their sufferings and their sacrifices have not
been in vain, that no matter what their further resolutions might be the
popular affair should by all means be carried on right now, and that
irrespective of the outcome of the present war one tremendous result has
already been accomplished. The Polish affair has already become a
Russian national affair. And this means that henceforth there shall be
no discrepancy between words and deeds in the relations of both peoples.
The whole might of the people of Russia and their ideals, expressed by
the Supreme Commander in Chief, shall be the bond for the Poles,
guaranteeing them the realization of the dreams of their forefathers for
the resurrection of Poland.
Let us Russians prepare this resurrection and help it by all means
within our power. Now or never the aid to the suffering people of Poland
shall grow into a national Russian demonstration. Let all Russian papers
throw open their columns for subscriptions for aid to the people of
Poland suffering from war, without prejudice to their religion and race.
As the funds will be forthcoming, a national Russian committee shall be
organized to take charge of their distribution.
Let us not fear for the modest beginnings. The tremendous wave of
sympathy and love which has now swept over the Russian people can create
wonders, if need be, for the success of the Russian national issue.
Let us hope that wonders will happen even now. I myself witnessed in our
neighborhood the following dramatic scene: The small provincial City of
Kaluga was getting ready in August to receive the wounded. Unexpectedly
it got many times more than at first had been contemplated. The wounded
had to be placed on the floor, without straw, without linen, without
food. But within two days all were comfortably placed, fed, and clothed.
_Unknown_ persons secured straw, other _unknown_ persons sent
mattresses, linens, and pillows, _unknown peasants_ brought food from
their villages.
All this was done as a matter of course, without a previous concert,
without any organization, through an elementary popular movement.
This elementary movement which can heal the wounds is needed at this
moment in most tremendous proportions. It is not a question of a few
wounded individuals, not even a question of thousands of wounded, but
the problem of a whole wounded Polish nation.
Let the great Russian tide of sympathy rise to its aid, without a
previous agreement, without a previous organization. Let this impulse
show Poland her protector--_Russia, the liberator of nations_.
This movement of sympathy for a brotherly people shall be our guarantee
that our coming victory over Germany will call forth the triumph of
light in Russian herself.
Prince EUGENE TRUBETSKOI.
Moscow, October 7, (20,) 1914.