retreat into the interior of Austria. The Emperor, no longer, safe in his capital, left the city at night. Vienna was in despair. Europe trembled; civilization hung in the balance; for the handful of soldiers to oppose the Infidel, the dilapidated garrisons, the city reduced to the last extremity for want of provisions—all concerted to put the victory into the hands of the Turks.

Such was the danger that hung over Europe in 1683, and, but for Poland, she would have fallen under the Turkish yoke. "Save Christianity," Rome called out to Sobieski; "Save the Empire," pleaded the German Emperor. True to the traditions of his knightly forefathers, Sobieski merely answered: "It is our duty," and like another Washington at Princetown or Napoleon at Wagram, the Polish King led his indomitable horsemen to save the day for Europe.

No victory proved more decisive and fruitful of good results than the victory Sobieski won over the Turks in 1683. No torrent could have swept the army of the Grand Vizier as had Sobieski's veterans. With one hand, Sobieski cut the foe, never to rise; with the other, he bid

Europe rise from her terror. The Crescent has forever been darkened, whilst the Cross and the Double Eagle triumphed. Vienna rejoiced and kissed Sobieski's very cloak. The Cathedral, where the Christian Knight went to give thanks to God for his signal victory, trembled with the mighty song of thanksgiving. "Modern Europe owes Poland for the fact that it is not today either Turkish or Muscovite." "But for Polish valor, Western civilization would have been blighted-Christianity itself perhaps engulfed. Poland was the sentinel which kept watch on the Eastern gate of Europe, while Latin civilization, in the person of France, flowered and taught the world."

For her victories over the Turks Poland was called the "Bulwark of Christendom.”

It was this Poland of which Talleyrand says: "The annihilation of Poland was worse than a crime; it was a folly." It was this Poland the great Napoleon called: "The Keystone to Eu

1 Parsons-History of the Polish Catholicity and The Russian "Orthodoxy."

2 Van Norman-Poland the Knight Among Nations, p. 18.

rope." This Poland of which Maria Theresa of the very German Empire Poland saved from certain annihilation a century before, exclaimed after signing her Partition: "When I have been long dead the consequence of this violation of all that until now has been deemed holy and just will be experienced." Just as the patricians of ancient Rome were the defenders of the Roman people, so the Poles were the patricians of the Christian people in Western Europe. It was not without reason that Poland was called the handmaid of Christian civilization. If there was a right well earned, it was the historical right of Poland. And if there ever were a right that was most ignominiously violated, it was again the historical right of Poland. But if, in the economy of justice, every violation of a right must be atoned for and satisfied, and because nations have only a temporal existence, and await no reward in the hereafter, then surely Poland's historical right cannot be long ignored. It is such convictions that strengthened the Poles in their hope of a future Poland, and made them ever sing: "Poland is not yet lost!"

CHAPTER III.

POLAND'S HISTORICAL RIGHT

(INTERNAL).

"It would be a genuine gain for civilization and permanent peace if there could be constituted a Polish Kingdom, including Poles of Poland (Russia) as well as Austria and Germany."

-Frank H. Simonds-Review of Reviews.

The history of Poland exhibits characteristics that could serve as the best offsets to militarism and those state policies the world determined to crush today. Poland was non-aggressive and tolerant. An offensive warfare was contrary to her constitution, and all the wars Poland waged were of a defensive nature. Poland never made war to acquire a neighbor's territory, to gain political pre-eminence, and to impose her law upon the world. To Poland fled all persecuted peoples; for there was more religious toleration than in the rest of Europe. The Poles never forgot to make their King, before the election, swear that he would tolerate all sects within the king

dom. "If you will not take the oath," said the Marshal to Henry of Valois, "you will not rule." From France, wandered Huguenots; from Spain, came the victims of the inquisitions; Pilgrims journeyed from Britain. In Poland Jew and

Gentile worshiped in peace.

The political policy of Poland stands in a rigid independence of the Prussian policy. In the light of the Prussian Political doctrines, where the state is considered supreme to religion, and to national traditions, where people are suppressed, persecuted, expropriated and ousted from their very homesteads, for the one end of the deified state, Poland's historical non-aggressiveness and tolerance have no meaning. Prussia wages wars to acquire territories and to assume political power. "Germany," recently said a high German official, "could only dispose of her Polish possession if she took possession of Belgium, and incorporated that country into the German Empire," forgetting that the national rights of the Belgians are anterior to the aggression of Germany. Why did Poland not make use of chances she had in her hands to acquire territories, to subdue peoples