Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-02-06
Most Impressive Spectacle.

ACCOMPANIED by members of the
American and British missions, l
went from one polling place to the
other in Warsaw and it's vicinity,
finding the spectacle most impress
sive. The election was surely sue
cessful in establishing the democratic
cation of Poland.
All the arrangements and the fact
that it was Sunday gave people in all
walks of life an opportunity to par
ticipate. In the large cities street cars
ceased to operate for the day and
everywhere places dispensing liquor
were closed. The people were urged
from the pulpits to vote because 1t
was a sacred duty. Men carrying
placards through the streets urging
support for various parties, posters
extolIing the virtues of the party pro-
grams and open air discussions by
party workers, served to enlighten
election day. electioneering within loo
feet of a polling place was forbidden
and the rule was carefully observed.
Practically every man and woman on
the lists voted except those who We're
unable to leave their homes on ac-
count of illness.
Persons from all stations of life
stood in long lines often for an hour
in the snow determined to vote in the
belief that by so doing they were
helping to build up on permanent
basis q future independent Poland.
piece of paper containing the number
previously assigned to a given po-
litical party. This made the count
easy and also made election frauds
impossible. Each vote was for a party
group and not for an individual. Each
ballot was placed in q small envelope
by an election official. who, after seal
ing the envelope. placed IL in . large
box like one of the old-time ballot
boxes in America. In some cities and
voting districts Jews were candidates
on the same party list with Gentiles.
At some places the Jews voted the
Jewish party tickets and in some
places the Zionist international Jews
refused to vote or to be candidates.
Distinguished men, many for the
first time. publicly took their places
in the line at the polling booths On an
equal basis with their servants. For
example, in Warsaw. Archbishop Ka-
kewski. who was recently officially
notified by the Pope Of his elevation
to the dignity of cardinal, stood in
line for nearly an hour awaiting his
turn to vote. He was preceded by a
well known socialist leader and fol-
lowed by a woman active in Jewish
charities. Gen. Piisudskf voted after
standing in line for some time Ig-
mace Paderewski and his wife could
not vote because of the requirement
of residence in Poland for a certain
period before the election.
Conducted Intense Campaign.
The campaign in Poland which pre-
coded the voting was intense. active
and modern in every particular. The
posters explaining the issues would
have done credit to national party or
ganization work in America The
newspapers contained arguments,
speeches and party programs day aft
er day. Mass meetings were held in
! balls. theaters and public squares
1 where the speakers proclaimed the
! virtues of their own party and the
vices OF the party OF the opposition
Many OF the speakers were educators
university professors and leading
men. Some advertised their political
party meetings and required the pay
ment OF a regular fee for admission
as if il was to q lecture instead Of a
meeting to bid for votes Some OF
| these which visited were well at
| tended.
From the returns at hand the indi-
cations are that the election was a
victory for the nationalists and peas
ants with some socialists and Jews
among the delegates because the pro-
portional system OF voting was used
For that reason the minority as well
as the majority parties will be rep
Presented in the constitutional conyen.
tions. The candidates named first or
the party lists were elected first upor
a proportional basis.