The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-06-06
DIR. SMYKOWSKI
 IS CRITICISED

In a letter to the editor of the Times Farmer. Joshua Meltzer of this city. severely criticizes Dr. Smykowski of this city, for statements he made on Wednesday regarding the massacre of Jews in Poland
 The letter follows:
 To the Editor:
 There appeared Wednesday, in a local morning paper an interview with a Dr. Srnykowski, a Pole, who not only denies the massacre of Jews in Poland. but in the same interview justfies the rnassacres by making counter charges against the Jews there. One can't be seriously indignant with Pan SHly- kovslxi He is amusinsly abcurd. He seriously considers himself an author fty on Polish and Jewish events and happenings during the war on the strength of his claim to have been z weeks in Poland. travel from U. & and back included. Therefore his statuent ought to be conclusive (.), and does not a Pan Piotrowski or Chicago corroborate him in the de- nial? Isn't that enough? The two yer actous and honorable gentlemen are not at all disturbed by the fact that ever,, charged massacre has been yer flied with a maSs of details from re- liable Jewish and non-Jewtsh sources giving dates, places, names and loca- tions of graves. Pan 4SSfny5owski says these facts are not true and does not Pan Piotowsl<i corroborate himF lsn that enough? The two gentlem en re- mind .ne forciblv of Heine's splendid satire on Two Poles from Poland KrapuIinski and Waschlapski, Poien aus der Polacke who, in their -excius- i've poiiteness, Alphonso and Gaston style. would not allow the other fellow should pay for treat, and therefore, to make assurance doubly sure, neith- CT of them would pay his bill Pi.n PiotrowslSi and Pan Smykowsh are true to their type. Pan Sfnykowskl does admit that there were riots, but the Jewish people never made a siren uous outcry against Stnp pie riots those who know the conditions of the Jews fin Poland know well that this was an almost steady diet of the Jewish peo- ple there. Especially on market days when the country Panstwo came 10 the towns and cities for a good time there being no Antfsaloon league or nrobfbitton in Poland-when argu- Inept started over trtftes and 1t occa- saonaIly resulted in a riot when Jew ish stores and eating pieces were des- troyed, but no one made serious chafres on account of such riots- Their Russian masters would not allow arSy blood shed by tho Poles except when it suited thefr purpose, and the Jews became used to loss of property. They had to pay for their existence in Eastern Europe in more ways than one Now that the fear of their Rus sian masters is gone a riot in Polsuu becomes a massacre but Pan Smy- kowslSi4says that the riots were against rpecuIators and proffteer1, who were -1<- iteertng are evils which go with war in all countries. and assuming, for the sake of argument that his charges that the Jews were most of the spec ulators and profitecTs' to be true, isn't 1t strange that in the riots no one else was maEsacred but Jews, and he admits that were some non-Jews spectators and profiteers? And how can Pan Smykowski explain the mas sacre of Jews in Pinsk, and in other cities. where they were taken from their meeting places on ths eve of Passover. gathered together to distr1- bute food and other relief to the poor and indigent for Passover, an old custom among the Jewish people which the Poles were surely aware of, and shot down without hearing or trial of even a. perfunctory nature by the military organizations in the respec- tive districts of the ewly formed Polish Government. No, Pan Smykow ski. you can't explain and you can't make black white by a simple denial Nor Is your charge that the Jewish people are Bolshyieks ,tenable or true Bosshevisrn. briefly state. is a. struggle of the Nots. proletarfat, against hayes. property owners. and the majority of the Jewish people are all over prop erty owners and not inclined to Bol- Ahevfsrn- We do not claim that there are not. some 1SoIsheviki among Jewish people. We are not without our wrong -doers, but you must know. Pan Smykowski. if you know anything. that we hadspassed laws to punish evil doers thousands Of years ago, long before your ancestors left the cave and shed rhafr goat skin raiments, but you can't hold aIi-the Jews in Pol and responsible for a Trotszky. who is primarily, a Russian, but accidently born a Jew, who is certainly not a Jew now ught that this was hold ing a whole people responsible for the treachery- of one who became out of date centuries ago, are your countrymen centuries behind time? Ii is sad, very sad, that when Poland gained freedom through Ps great sacrifices of best blood and treasure of the allied Democraoies fin order that Democracy shall be safe and all peoples should be free and secure in equal rights it's first achievement is to stain the newly regained flag in the blood of innocent victims, men wome T and children. What glory foI the new Dem ocracy of Poland and what a recomm endation to be counted as a member of the League of Ma tions?
 No, Pan Smykowski. You are on very unsafe ground when you attemp xF trynaep to the Jewish people there It would have been more creditable to you if you had lend your voice to correct an admittedly existent evil and you would have achieved better -Asults.
 JOSHUA ME1TZE7s.
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