Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-22
Fraud and Corruption
Wreck Polish Socialists
ecial Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence OIL NE quar-
WARSAW. December Z. 1907.
K7 OF for a long time has anything
IN occurred which has afforded so
much satisfaction to the Russian
oureaucrats as the break up of the revo-
lutionist section of the Polish socialist
party. They are still chuckling and rub
bling their hands gleefully over it. 1t is
said that when the news reached the car,
who seldom smiles these days. he actually
laughed for JOY.
Some meager details of the dissolution
of this militant organization of socialists
may have reached you by telegraph and
cable. but as news the matter is deserving
of more extended report. That as an
organization it has ceased to exist admits
of no doubt. It's djsbandment has been
announced in a circular issued at LODI
the Headquarters of Polish socialism, by
it's responsible heads. That once power
full party. before which. one short year
ago. Russian officials trembled and to
which Polish citizens turned for protec-
ton. has dissolved itself.
The manifesto Is not without a certain
pathos. I'VE have STILL" it says, IAN
income of 1850 roubles per month and
we still possess some 5000 members. But
those who have been given arms for the
cause of liberty use them for banditism
and horrible acts of terrorism. We
therefore. dissolve this party, as it has
ceased to aim at the purpose for which
1t was created"
This is only too true. The revolution
lists, having shown great courage, wide
resources and a certain amount of talent
for organization. failed utterly to preserve
discipline among the rank and file. The
leaders imported revolvers from Germany;
they showed their followers how to use
them and showed them to such good pur-
pose that whenever a man was aimed at
it was almost a dead certainty that he
would be killed. But they omitted one
precept: they forgot to teach these, war
'riors when not to shoot. They forgot to
teach them when not to take money, and
the consequence was that 80 per cent of
them raided banks and shops and trains.
not for the sacred cause of freedom, but
for the sordid beneft of their own
pockets.
And this was not all: the rank and file
had their examples from some of the
leaders themselves. who. while pretend
ing to work for their party. schemed and
intrigued to get money from nervous citi-
zens who blessed them for the best police
in Russia and paid dearly for the honor
of the benediction.
Here is an example: A rich householder
in Warsaw. named Zielnski. evicted a
tenant. restaurant keeper. for not pay
ing his rent. The restaurant keeper call
ed in the rabble. who ruined the premises,
got drunk on half the liquor. flooded the
cellar with the remainder and declared
that they would kill Zielinski If he did not
find the restaurant keeper thousand
roubles to start afresh
Zielinski went to the police. who refused
10 help him. Then the walters came to
him demanding that he should make good
the deposits they had placed with the
restaurant keeper. This amounted to
another thousand roubles. Zielinski was
in despair when a stranger presented him
self to him saying: my name is Hero. l
belong to the committee of the Polish
party of socialists. These walters must
have something. as they are destitute, but
they want too much. Let me act your
intermediary and l will settle the sum to
be paid.'