Evening journal., 1914-05-06
Constitution Of
POLAND century OLD
City Societies to Join To
night in Celebration Of
the Event
HISTORY OF OLD
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Polish residents Of the city today are
celebrating the Tooth year OF the con
stitution Of Poland. The anniversary
date was May 3, but the celebration
was postponed until today. There will
be speeehmaking and music tonight in
Polish Turner's Hall in honor OF the oc-
Icason.
So as to understand the constitution
Of the third Of May, it is necessary to
know the condition Of Poland about 100
years ago.
Some people say. that the cause OF
the downfall OF Poland, was the dis
order in the country and the oppression
Of the peasants. But in certain coun-
tries the disorder was much greater
than in Poland and still no downfall
came to them ANY person having a
small touch OF sympathy for an OPP
pressed country. can see that the down
fall was not caused by any disorder in
the country. but bv the hatred of a few
countries toward Poland. In some oi
the countries nobeman would kill
of his slaves Just to please himself, or
again they would use their slaves in
place OF money at gambling tables.
About the time that IN Poland a CON
stitution WIS being formed, an awful
revolution broke out in France, in which
over 100000 lives were lost.
-Four years after the constitution OF
Poland was accepted, France issued a
new constitution on the base Of it. Both
OF these new constitutions granted the
people liberty. The constitution in Po.
land was accepted without the loss OF
a single drop Of blood. This constitu-
tion. besides giving the people religious
liberty. made them all equal citizens OF
that country. While III Poland, every
thing was going along smoothly and the
people lived in peace and happiness, IN
the other countries, particularly in Rus
sia, because of the tyranny of the ruler,
the people came to misery. The peas
ants tried to get revenge on the lords
and noblemen, and in this way a con
tinuous fight arose between them. At
last the army came out against the
peasants and before they could be
ouieted over half million lives were
lost This all happened in the year OF
1898, when the countries said that
there was disorder in the country. just
at this time the first dissection took
place in Poland on the fifth day of Au-
gust. 1902 The second dissection took
place in 1893 and the third in l795. Rus
sia. Prussia and Austria participated IN
these disseetions.
The people OF Poland we're trying
their best to have order in the coun-
try In which, to their great joy and
satisfaction, they succeeded beyond
all expectations. But this displeased
other countries very much They
then tried their best to find some rea-
son for the dissection. The only way
in which the country could be saved
was by accepting this constitution
After a short consultation it was ac-
cepted on May 3rd, 1771.
The main clauses of 1t we're as fol-
lows: 1, The religion of the rulers
is and always will be Roman Cath
olic: 2, To change this to any other
religion is prohibited; 8, Liberty was
granted to all; the noblemen and
the poor people were acknowledged
to be equal citizens; 4, The cities
should be governed by men elected
by the people, 5, The poor people
we're acknowledged under the care
of the government; 6, Any person.
whether a citizen or foreign, living
in Poland, has the full privilege Of
living in any part of the country, or
he may leave the country if this is
his wish.
The whole country was filled with
JOY over this constitution. Not only
the Polish citizens praised this piece
of work but other countries also
praised it and wrote about it in the
papers. The papers stated, that Po-
land could be taken as a very good
example by countries needing more
order. Burke, we'll known English
orator, made known a few of the
clauses referring to this constitution,
which were placed in the English
paper Morning Herald" He said
that this act which the Poles issued
was worth bearing in mind, because
it was accepted unanimously. He
compared the accepting of the cor
rection in the laws Of Poland with
the correction of laws in France. The
constitutions were to give people lib
erty. In Poland, the constitution
changed it from disorder to order
From this we can see, that the Poles
we're peace and liberty loving people.
Only the countries which wished TO
see the downfall of Poland went
against the constitution. While the
Poles were being tormented by the
enemy, the King gave himself up to
the enemy and helped in the second
dissection Of Poland and later in the
third