Dziennik Chicagoski. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1890-1971, 1920-08-23
P~rzemowienie sedziego
Harry 0'sona ma wiecu
+ " Auditorium.

It is a great pleasure, privilege and
honor to join IN this magnificent ga
thering Of my fellow Americans In a
cause with which every true American
must have sympathy and which we all
must support.
Among the many and far reaching
results Of the great world war none
exceed in importance and reestabllsh-
ment after 125 years Of the Polish ma
ton - an historic nation with a past
OF q thousand years. The new Poland
Will have an area Of 100000 square
miles - nearly equal to that OF France
or Germany and a population OF ~
million nearly equal to that Of France.
Considering that they are a prolific
race that such a nation possesses coal
fields like those in Silesia and an out
let to the sea at Dant1lg and the
Black Sea and the friendship Of the
allies we can understand the tremen-
dous significance of this new~nation
upon the history of Europe and Of the
World.
Because Poland represents the Tar.
thcst east of western civilization and
America the farthest west We are
interested in her fate. 1t is MT gene
rally appreciated that western institu-
tons are the product Of western hist.
DRY, with roots deep in the distant part
Of Europe.
The Ming" where the Scandinavian
farmers met to settle their disputes
was the forerunner Of the English par
lament and Of the American congress.
The reason European nations can gov.
ern themselves by democratic inStltu'
| tons is because they were brought up
through a long series Of generations
under the institutions of the past which
developed ideas and instincts indispen.
sable to efficient self government.
The Russian state on the other hand,
In the past was based upon Oriental
principles
In ancient Muscovy as we'll as in the
empire Of Peter the Great the Russian
nation had no institutions and the peo'
pie did not participate in public affairs
in the smallest degree. Russia had its
central government and its executives
In the provinces. The Russian govern.
ment looked upon the people from the
oriental standpoint. 1t recognized only
individual subjects. Any attempt on
their part at organization, at collect
i've action was prosecuted as n political
crime. The law Of the country as in all
oriental states was held to exist for
the advantage Of the government alone.
The law in Russia was not respected
by the law givers themselves and was
violated by the authorities when 1t sui
ted them to do so. Therefore subjects
neither locke upon the law as a pro
lection against the abuse Of officials.
nor were they taught to respect the
law themselves. They Obcyed it only
so far rs force compelled them to obey
it. This lack Of respect for law became
one Of the chief draw backs to the po-
litcal progress Of the Russian commun-
ity. When Oriental Russia came in con-
tact with Poland. Finland and the Bal
tic provinces and in closer contact with
Europe as q whole the influence OF
western civilization brought about the
abolition Of serfdom, the introduction
Of local self government in the Zemst-
vos and finally in the Duma - but
Russia had not by its past been pre-,
pared for such institutions and was not
able to use them
Properly speaking therefore Russia
Of late years has had no government.
When the revolution came, it was
peaceful and speedy because there was
no government 10 overthrow. The new
government merely filled a vacancy,
The new government Of Russia under
the leadership Of Ienine and TrotzEy
has adopted communism, made mock
cry Of marriage, has made divorce ca
sy and has attempted to destroy the
love Of parent and child by giving the
children over to the state.
The right Of private ownership has
been denied, religion scoffed at and
all is 10 be reduced to a dead level OF
m~ediocrity. These ideals are to be en-,
forced by the old oriental methods
This ~disorganized nation is now en-
gagged in a struggle with western l.
deals as represented by Poland. We
need to show our sympathy in this
struggle, for II Poland is overcome,
their cause must become ours to car
ry on.
Father Schlechta, a Polish social
worker in the courts once came to my
office to inquire Of me, what Offenses
Americans Of Polish descent commit,
ted against the law Of the land. l told
him that they committed very few but
that they were often arrested for fight,