New Britain herald., 1919-12-29
FIERY SERMON BY
 LOCAL CLERGYMAN
Ukrainian Minister Scores AI-
 legged Atrocities in Poland

Rev. Joseph Pelechovych, minister of the Uhro- Rusin church here has been recently appointed minister of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic church in New Britain and now has charge in both churches.
 Rev. Pelechovych is well known in New Britain for his staunch American patriotism and everything that is American. In his sermons he usual ly refers to America as the m mot1ler of oppressed nations, calling upon par ishioners to give their, full, support to all Am erican activities and back up the adopted country the the fullest ex- tent. The result of such sermons of Rev. Pelechovych is that there is not a single man in his parish who would hesitate to part with all his worldly goods, including life, for America, he says
 Some of the parishioners who plan to return to their native land, Ukraine and especially to the part which is presently under control of Poland
 have met with great perplexity due to the fact that in order to obtain a Po- fish passport the Polish consul re- fuses to grant such unless the 'appli- cant renounces his Ukrainian citizen ship and takes the oath Of fidelity of Poland.
 Referring n his last sermon to such unwarranted and uncivilized demands of Polish consul, Rev. Pelechovych asked: "Wi1l you have heart to murder unprotected Ukrainian priests together with Polish troops in case the Polish government should take you to it's army on the ground of your oath of fidelity to Poland? Will you have heart to shoot your fathers and brothers who should rise in pro test against Polish outrages? Have you forgotten the bloody elections in | the ukrainian part of Galicia, in which Ukrainia electors were merci- lessly murdered by Polish authorities for no other reason but, that they have chosen to vote for the U<rainian candidates according to the dictates Of their conscience and sense of duty?
 DO. you. remember frauds, gratis and
 intimidations. perpetrated time and time again by Polish authorities against Ukrainian voters? Have you forgotten the shameless eNonerations of Polish murderers of Ukrainian votA CTS? You rem lem Der that allH those outrages were committed by Poles un- der the auspices of the Austrian cen tral government. Does it not raise the presumption that similar out rages will continue or even will reach | their maximum height when Poles
 would govern or rather misgovern the
 Ukrainian part of Galicia, without be- ing liable to account to any one? Tn view of these facts would you swear fidelity to Poland in order that you may get to your native land?
 Did you realize that such oath will take you not to your loving ones, but it will lead you to the Polish army? It would be a sin against God to live
 up to such an oath of fidelity and together with Polish troops to shoot your fathers and brothers, to. murder your Ukrainian priests, to burn Ukrainian churches, to look upon the
 outrages perpetrated by Polish consul refusing to issue passports, stay in
 this country, make it your home and live an American life, and look for ward to the time when your great l President Wilson's principles of self determination for nations will become 1 fully realized. Then all people, in- l cluding Ukrainian people. will govern l themselves and you will have no ne cessity to make forced oaths to Polish | COnsulS."