New-York tribune., 1919-06-11
Details of Investigation by
American Committee i'm
Poland To Be Awaited
by the House Committee
Exaggerations Allie ge d
Moderation by Jewish and
Slavic Press Is Urged by
Minister Hugh Gibson
Ne.p York Tribune
WASHINGTON Buye0u

N"'s~'sXeS's
WASHINGTON, June 1O.-The shoot
ing without trial of thirty-seven Jew
ish Zionists at Pinsk on April by
Polish troops occupying that city was
to have been told by an eyewitness to
the House Committee on Foreign
Affairs to-day. The committee is in
vestigating the pogrom situation in
Poland. After an hours conference
with Assistant Secretary Phillips Of
the State Department the committee
decided not to take any further evil
dence until a detailed report on the
Polish situation had been made by the
American committee now at york in
vestigating pogroms there.
The eyewitness was Dr.. Francis J.
Fronczak, of Buffalo, who has just re-
turned from Poland, where he was con-
nected with the American Red Cross.
DR.. Fronczak was in Pinsk on the day
of the execution, consulting with the
Polish military leaders there. Accord
ing to an official statement issued in
Warsaw, DR.. Fronczak personally
counted thirty-three dead a few min
utes after the shooting.
Tribune Correspondent Called
Elias Tobenkin, correspondent of The
New York Tribune, who brought the
story of the Pinsk massacre with him
from Poland, was another of the wit
rosses who was to be heard before the
committee. Among others present at
the session we're N. L. Piotrowski,
president Of the Polish National Coun-
ell of America; S. J. Zowski, Colonel C.
De Wolki and DR.. B. L. Smykowski, for
the Poles. For the Jews there were
present Morris Rothenburg, secretary
OF the Committee for the Defence of
Jews in Poland; Gershon Bard, a Po-
lish refugee who had been through
many Of the pogroms, and DR.. Samuel
Margoshes.
After looking over the array of wit
nosses the committee went into
executive session. When the wit
nesses were finally called, Chair
man Porter announced no fur
ther testimony would be taken
b. the committee until a detailed re-
port had been received from the Ameri-
can committee investigating the mas
socres in Poland. The committee in
Poland consists of Minister Hugh Glib
son, DR.. Boris D. Bogen, in charge OF
the Jewish Relief in Warsaw, and
Colonel Bayley, head Of the Red Cross
in Poland.
Gibson Report Changes Situation
I Chairman Porter said:
Since fixing the day for a hearing
va have raCoiyo1 ;rforp,o4;o, f~o,.
State Department that has convinced
us Of the wisdom of adjourning fol
few days until we can get the fina
report from our officials abroad. W,
have report this morning from Min
lister Gibson that shows that thes.
reports are very much exaggerated d
and we feel we should await any ac
tion on the resolution until the com
mittee composed of Minister Gibson
DR.. Bogen and Colonel Bayley shal
have made it's report. The probabili
ties are that the report will be salts
factory to everybody and there will
be no necessity for any further &C
tion on the part of the committee. L
case it is not, then it is our privileg
to go into the hearing. We d
not have this information-that is
the report of Minister Gibson-unti
this morning. OF course, that ha
changed the situation very consider
ably.
"There is another element in tn
matter that think you ought to know
According to evidence before the com
mittee there was a meeting in Ne,
York some four or five weeks ago o