Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-02-26
A FUND FOR POLAND.
Movement for National Resurrection
Now Very Active.
Assessment of One Cent q Month LRia
: on Every Pole in All Parts of
the World, Old and
Young.

to direct his attention to measures
aimed against his Polish subjects in
Prussia the Polish national movement
in the United States, and indeed al
over the world, has taken on increased
activity. The movement has never en-
tirely died out in this country, states
the New York Sun.
Chicago, Baltimore and Washington
have always been active centers for
Polish agitation, and the large Polish
population Of New York is now taking
new interest in the movement. The
gathering Of funds for the furthRrance
of Polish national resurrection has
gone on steadily even during long
periods when the Polish movement at
tracted no special attention.
An active supporter Of the movement
says that his people have learned the
futility of instructions under ordi-
nary conditions and have determined
to await the opportunity that a gen
eral European war or some special
conditions in the states that have par
titioned Poland will afford. While
awaiting this movement the Poles are
preparing for it. They know that
when the opportunity comes it will be
too late to prepare.
singular accomplishment Of the
Polish movement is the assessment
laid on every Pole in whatever part Of
the world. The assessment is only one
cent a month, but falls upon every
man, woman and child of the Polish
race, and very few refuse to pay it,
while many contribute much more
than the regular assessment.
1t is held that the movement will
profit most from an assessment so low
that even the poorest can pay it, for
thus the largest possible number Of
Poles can be kept interested. The
money thus collected is forwarded
through secret channels to Switzer-
land, where the treasurer resides, and
is used as seems best to the managers
of the movement.
Probably some of it has been used
to enable Poles to buy back the estates
in Prussia bought by the German gov
eminent some years ago and sold to
German colonists. Other appropria-
tions are made for various objects
bearing directly or indirectly upon the
national movement.
Money for these purposes flow in
freely, and if there seemed an early
prospect of special activity the sub
scriptions would be enormously in
creased. The obtaining of money is
the easiest part of the propaganda,
for the Polish national movement is
furthered by great variety of organi-
cations.
Shooting societies, athletic societies,
beneficial societies of various sorts, all
have some relation to the national
movement. At the same time the Pol
ish Catholic priests in this country and
throughout the world jealousy foster
the national spirit in their congrega-
tions. No people are truer to the Cath
Ole church than the Poles, and the
priests respond by being peculiarly
sympathetic with the national aspira-
tions of their people.
There are some very successful Poles
in this city and elsewhere in the coun-
try. and the solidarity of the resident
Poles is remarkable. Noble and peas
ant come together in pleasanter inter-
course, and are at one in their desire
for the furtherance of the national
movement.
National customs and the national
dress are preserved as far as possible,
and in their interest in these things
poor and rich are alike. A lecturer
who was seeking to borrow for pur-
poses of illustration woman's cloak
of the Polish national pattern asked
tor such a garment at Polish shoe
makers shop which she visited, and
soon afterward received an inquiry on
the subject from a Polish nobleman
living in this country.
The Polish mobiles, indeed, are often
engaged in the hardest kind of labor
in the land of their adoption. A few
are employed as linguists in this city
and in the departments at Washing
ton.