The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-21
~ HERMAN DE:R NsTElN.
Editor Of "The Day"


r WAS in London when the srea,
Polish and Jewish centre. War.
saw. fell into German hands. The
British press naturally endeav.
Sred to minimize the importance and
Slsnificanca Of the German victory.
The newspapers even saw In the Rus
efan retreat another brilliant strategi-
cal stroke by the Grand Duke Nicho.
ias. who. like Gen. kuropatkin. In the
Huseo-Japanesc war, showed q genius
o mastery retreats"
= Few prominent Jews in England
VINO Knew hat three years ago the
fsussian Government did not admit me
70 Wafs'aw. hut stopped me q; the
frontier. referred to the incident, say
ing that now that Warsaw was in Ger
man hands l would have the oppor-
tunity to visit that great Jewish centre
and familisris e myself with the hor-
that occurred there during the
tAst rev weeks OF the Russian regime.
i wa also deeply interested In the life
OF the Jews under the new regime and
the extent Of relief required to meet
the dirt distress among the Jewish
population.
Israel ZanEwill, that brilliant Jew
ash leader and deep thinker and
dreamer. said to me during my visit at
4s beautiful country home In East
Preston:
II could not go TO Warsaw before.
Now q go there"
mot ye;." I answered. "As an Eng.
iishma you would be interned In Ger
many. But ] Is an American, who
could not 60 to Warsaw when 1t was
unoer Russian rule. can go there now
when 1t Is under German rule"
There Is no city IN Europe that I was
mere eager to visit his time than
Warsaw. that great centre of Jewish
Traditions which now finds itself amid
new and strange conditions. But.
range as It may seem. the German
military authorities absolutely de-
clned to grant my request for a per-
init to visit the Polish provinces &C.
cup!ed by the German forces.
I was well recommended in every
country ! visited. ! carried letters Of
introduction from the American State
Department and In every country the
American Amba ssadors were most
generous and thoughtful in their cf-
forts TO lessen the d!scomforts and
hardships connected with travel
through Europe In these days of sus.
picion and madness every where.
1 asked the German Foreign Office
Tor a permit to visit Warsaw and
other Polish Nwish centres. stated
rankly the purpose Of my trip. |
wanted to see what had happened TO
the Jewish DNODla in rhesa nrn,ip,as
oefore their occupation BY the Ger
ana troops and what the conditions
were now under the new regime. |
wanted to portray these things In the
Jewish and English press of America
and ] also wanted TO ascertain the ex-
tent o. the relief needed So that |
might acqda!nt the Jewish relief COM
inittess IN America with the distress
and the am"unt Of the succor required.
An official Of high standing in the
Foreign Office assured me that ne
would do everything in his power to
secure ME h permit TO go 20 the
Polish provinces, but ne warned me
that l might meet with many incon-
veniences and disagreeabic incidents.
Americans are not at all popular
IN these days among the German
military authorities" he said. an
fact they are hated very strongly
on account Of the ammunition ques-
ton. You see. the soldier in the field
who feels that he ~ riskine his he
for his country. cannot be expected
to ne polite ana act as a gentleman
and restrain himself from giving ex.
precision 10 his feelings.