New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-01-26
POLISH SCHOOL STRIKE.
Difficult Problem for East PruSsian
Officials.

Berlin, JAN s-The strike of Polish school
children in the Province of Posen has again
brought the Polish question before the world.
This is one of the most difficult problems the
Prussian government has to deal with, and the
school strike places the government in difficult
position.
Taking the ground that the striking children
are merely the tools of Polish agttators. the
school authorities have decided not to punish
those who still refuse to be instructed in religion
in German otherwise than TO enforce the school
discipline to it's full extent The obstinate chill
dren receive other German lessons in those
hours which are devoted TO religion In case the
number of recalcitrant children in one school is
exceptionally large. they are separated from the
willing children This requires the employment
of more teachers and the use of additional school
rooms. But to make clear to the striking chill
dren that their disobedience to their teachers
and the bad example they are setting to the
other children involve a punishable offence.
their resistance is met by keeping them after
school. Instigations through the press against
the school regulations and other offences are
prosecuted. Principals of schools showing an
offending attitude against the school regulations
discharged
Ever since the partition Of the Kingdom Of
Poland there has been a Polish question for
among which their country was divided ever
abandoned their agitation for a Te-establish-
ment of an independent Polish state. In none
Of these countries has their agitation been car
ried with such energy and Obstinacy as in
those eastern provinces OF Prussia that for
merry belonged to Poland. The Prussian gov
eminent endeavored to check the Polish move
ment in various ways, especially by inducing
Germans from the western provinces to settle
in the eastern provinces of Posen and East
Prussia. But this policy has never been a sue
cess, since the Polish agitators always managed.
through their propaganda TO prevent the thor
ough Denomination of those provinces The
Polish Nationalist have been strongly sup
ported by the Polish Catholic Church IN their
campaign.
There have at ell times been complaints by
the Poles OF the measures which the Prussian
authorities introduced for the Denomination of
the eastern provinces-measures which the
Poles have denounced as cruel and In disregard
OF their national feelings. But the government
view is that since those provinces are Prussian
territory the interests of Prussia demand that
the Poles also behave Prussian subjects, and
that opposition to the German instruction in re-
ligion is prompted not by religious. but by po-
litical motives The Poles and the Polish
clergy consider the teaching OF the German
eastern provinces a great check to the Polaniza-
ton OF those provinces. The Prussian govern
ment at the same time, considers the teaching
OF the German language 10 Polish children the
best means Of Germanizing the eastern prov
inces.
In 1912 regulation was enacted by the Gov
ernor of Posen that children IN the public
schools were to be taught in the language which
majority OF them spoke. and as most children
spoke the Polish tongue. the natural result was
that the Polish children learned, no German
whatever. This circumstance decidedly strength
ened the Polish agitation. A change in this
school policy followed IN 1878. when II was re-
solved TO enact new regulations to preserve the
German nationality TO the German children and,
at the same time. give the Polish children some
knowledge OF the German language. The Ger
man language then introduced in all public
schools I'm the province of Posen. but II was de-
cided that instruction in religion 10 be given
Polish children in their native tongue When
they had made sufficient progress In the knowl-
edge Of German, however. their instruction in
religion was also TO be in German in certain
classes
by this regulation II was possible TO give.
especially TO the schools in cities and some
schools IN sfnaiI COMMUNITIES that had German
minority. a uniform German character. and also
to alleviate the burdens OF the teachers. Were
nil Polish children 20 be instruced In the Polish
tongue - would require an almost impossible
increase in tho number OF teachers Of Polish de-
scent. For thorough understanding OF the
situation however II must be known that the
idea Is circulated among the common people b.
Polish agitatoTs that the terms Polish and
Catholic" identical and that the Polish
Catholic creed Is considered far superior 10 Ger
man Catholicism a recognition OF this idea
by the Prusslan school authorities would again
only strengthen the Polish agitation.
The great success achieved by the strike Of
Polish school children in Russia in 1905 sug-
gosted the idea OF procaiming n strike Of Polish
children In Prussia In the interest Of the Polish
cause. Not until last June did the Polish agi-
tators consider the time opportune for a strike.
and the Polish papers filled with protests
against the instruction In religion in German.
Those protesting received support even from
communities I'm which for many years religion
had been taught in German. and strikes were
proclaimed I'm some of these communities.
The contentious Of the authorities that
the method according to which religion is
taught to Catholic children IN Prussia has been
declared satisfactory by the Pope and is In
cord with the pTecepts of the Church. that the
anti German Catholic statements by the Polish
clergy I'm the press and public meetings OPP
posed to the universal character of the Catholic
Church and the spirit OF the instructions of Pope
Leo XIII to tito Bohemian and MOravian
bishops; that religious instruction In Polish 10
given i'm more than half the Polish schools that
the interests of Prussia demand that all Prus-
slams understand the official language, and that
as long as Polish laborers go to other German
provinces by the thousands to enjoy better
wages and high standard Of living the inter-
ests of the state as well OF the church. de-
mand that they have some knowledge of the
German language regards church affairs.
The hope is expressed that the appointment
Of a successor to the late Archbishop Stablewskf
who was active in the Polish cause. will do
much TO relieve the situation, especially IL he be
German
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