The Denver Jewish news., 1920-02-04
Morgenthau Commission
Makes its Report
FIXES BLAME FOR POGROMS AND
URGES NEW COMMISSION

tHt Itpoit just Vi AhSAA
MOrgenthau, former Ambassador to
Turkey, who was n member of the
American Commission which was sent
to investigate conditions in Poland. As
sociated with Mr.. Morgenthau were
Brigadier Gen. Edgar Jadwin and Ho-
mer ii. Johnson. General Jadwin
made a report in regard to the allega-
tions of pogroms.
Mr.. Morgenthau in his report recon-
mended that the League of Nations or
the principal world powers should send
to Poland Industrial and economical
experts to rellabilitate that country.
Mr.. MOrgenthau's report says in part ::
Paris, Oct 3, 1919.
TO the American Commission TO Nego-
tiate Peace:
Gentlemen:
"A mission, consisting of Mr.. Henry
Morgenthau, Brigadier General Edgar
Jadwin, and Mr.. Homer II. johnson.
was appointed by the American Com
mission to negotiate peace, to investi-
gate Jewish matters in Poland. The
appointment of such u mission had pre-
viously been requested by Mr.. Pader-
ekski, President of the Council of Min
listers of the Republic OF Poland.
1.-The mission reached Warsaw on
July 10, 1919, and remained In Poland
until September 13, 1919. All the plac-
es where the principal excesses had oc-
CURED were visited. In addition there
TO. the Mission also studied the eco
nomic and social conditions in such
places as Lodz, Krakau, GrOdnO, Po-
sen, Chelm, Lublin ana Stanislawow,
BY automobiling over 2,JUO miles thru
Russia, Austria and German Poland
the Mission also came into immediate
contact with the inhabitants of the
small towns and villages. In order
properly to appreciate the present cul-
tural and social conditions, the Mis-
sion also visited educational institu-
tions, libraries. hospitals. museums.
urt galleries, orphan nsylums and pris-
ons.
Investigations of the rxcesses were
made mostly in the presence of repre-
| sentatives of the Polish Government
and of the Jewish communities. There
were also present in many cases mill
tary and civil officials. and wherever
possible officials in command at the
time the excesses occurred We're con-
ferred with and interrognted. In this
In Dnlfcl, M nrrfhnrifiaS
American Minister to Poland. Mr..
Hugh Gibson. lent the Mission every
facility. Deputations of all kinds of
organizations were received and inter
viewed. A large number of public
meetings and gatherings were attend
ed, and the Mission endeavored to OBJ
tain correct impression of what had
occurred. of the present mental state
Of the public, and of the attitude Of
the various factions toward one an
other.
'The Jews entered Poland in large
numbers during the twelfth and thir-
teenth centuries, when they migrated
from Germany and other countries as
the result of severe prosecutions. Their
Language was German, which subse-
Guently developed into n Hebrew-Ger-
man dialect, or Yiddish. As prior to
this immigration only two classes or
estates had existed in Poland (the
owners and the tillers of the soil the
Jewish immigrant became the pioneer
of trade and finance, settling in the
towns and villages. As time went on 1t
rope that Poland was place of refuge
for the Jews, and their numbers were
augmented as the result of persecu-
tions In Western Europe. Still more
recently as result of the expulsion
of the Jews from Russia on account
of the enforcement of the Pale of
Settlement, and of the May laws of
1882, their number was further in
creased.
Notwithstanding the fact that Po-
land has been a place of refuge for the
Jews, there have been anti-Jewish
movements ut various times. The
present anti-Semitic feeling took II
definite political form after the Rus
sian revolution of 1905. This feeling
reached an intense stags in 1912, when
the Polish National Democratic Par
ty nominated an anti-Seinite to rep
resent Warsaw in the Russian Duma
and the Jews cast their vote for the
Polish Socialist and carried the cleo
ton. The National Democratic Party
then commenced a vigorous anti-Semi-
tic campaign. During the German oc-
oupation this campaign was Temporary
lily reduced. At the end of the great
war the chaotic and unnatural state Of