The Denver Jewish news. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1915-1925, 1919-10-01

I Polish anti-yemitism was not new. II drew
attention to 1t long before the war. I
also wrote about It in 1915.
Paderewski Calls Them .sF1xcesses.
Before going to Poland. 1 had several
interviews with Premier Paderewski I'M
Paris. He talked about the Polish Jewish
relations and the repeated pogroms freely
and frankly. He impressed me as sin
cere man who was eager to bring about
a better understanding between-the Poles
and the Jews. He seemed deeply moved
by the criticisms and protests voiced in
America concerning the anti-Jewish "ex-
cerses." as he called the outrages. He
declared to me that most of item were
grossly exaggerated. and thac1lhe exag-
gerations were harming both the Poles
and the Jews. He said he was convinced
spread of all this anti-Polish propaganda.
told him that II he could give me the
proofs to substantiate this statement, j
would be glad to give 1t the widest pub
licity.
MY purpose In going to Poland was to
ascertain the facts and publish them. no
matter what they were. believe that
people everywhere outside of Poland de-
sire to know whether, after the world war
was over. one of the nations liberated by
the Allies. celebrated its freedom by muir
dering innocent men, women and children
because they We're Jews-by plundering,
pillaging and lootng. I believe that peo-
pie also would like to know. IL that is not
true. whether there is really a campaign
of calrimny and SANDER against new Po-
land by some mysterious forces.
1 have secured all the materials possible
from the Polish government concerning
the anu-Jewish ''eNcesses'' in Poland. II
have also secured documents and proofs
furnished by the Jewish communities to
the Polish government 1 have reports of
members of the Polish Diet on some of the
more important cases. ! travelled in Po-
land and interviewed Polish officials. high
and low, Jewish leaders of various fac
tons, witnesses and relatives of the VIC
tins.
MY investiGationx hav. convinced me
TINT the anti-Jc,vish .excesscs" In Po-
Innd since her liberation were far worse
than amy of the notorious Russian pog-
roms which reused the conscience of
the civilized world. The pOg-Oms In
Russia were organized and engineered
by the government for political pur-
poses. There WINS really little anti
scmitism In the Itussian masses.
The Polish "exccSscn' In wilma, Ida,
Pinsk, ChcstOchow and scores of other
places were distinctly ma typicaIIy Pol
ish. Indeed, they may he described ns
P0los r0nis.
In certain instances Boishevist methods
were employed by the Poles. I recall how
the Red Guards were promised rewards
of large sums of money for the capture
of Samara and Perm In Wilma and Ida
the victorious Polish troops were rewarded
by getting the freedom" of these cities
first to murder Jews. and then to pillage
and loot their homes and shops. The pre-
text for numbering them was that all the
Jews were Bolsheviki. The pretext for
robbing them was that all the Jews were
cNploiters. profiteers and SPECTATORS
They murdered them as Bolsheviki and
robbed them as the bourgeoisle
Right Orders Mt Wrong. Time.
The commissary of Wilma, Mr.. Jan
Pilsudski, brother Of the Chief of State of
Poland. speaking of Polish Jewish rcla-
tons in wilma. said to me-
"Affcr the third day of .cxcesses'
In wilma. an order WINS Issued to the
troops that the murders must cease, md
they ceased. About two weeks late nm
order wRs issued to the effect .hnt the
IootinE must stop, and the IoctinG
stopped.-
which shows that II the right order
had been issued the first day the
Peies occupi-1 the city of Wilma there
would have been no poEroms-innocent
Je.ru would not --ve been murdered
and the Jewish communit.- would rot
been robbed.
1t Is an undeniable fact that innocent
Jews were murdered in wilma merely be-