Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-10-13

BUFFALO, N. Y, Oct. 13.-The
TACT that Poland has become at last
a united and Independent nation will
not rob the United States of any
considerable percentage of the Po-
lish-born population, which has come
to play such an important part in
its business and industrial life. Many
Polish-Americans are going back for
visits to their fatherland, often to
seek friends or relatives, but very
few of them are going to stay. They
have become wholly and permanent
ly American.
THIS is the opinion of a prominent
citizen of Polish birth here in Buffa-
10, which contains perhaps a greater
percentage of Poles among its peo-
Pile than any other American city.
During the war 100, 900 Poles in
United States volunteered to fight
for their country's liberty at ten
cents a day. But when they obtain
ed that liberty for Poland most OF
them returned to the United States.
America, it seems, has a powerful
effect on the Polish immigrant. He
comes here meek from centuries Of
oppression. When he realizes that
the air is free he blossoms out. He
even develops traits that the Pole
is not noted for. Thus, this Polish
citizen tells us that his people in
this city are great savers. that they
como here poor, but they live fru-
gally. AS a consequence, so per cent.
of them own their own homes, and
the bank deposits of the Buffalo
Poles total about $4,000, 600. This
is surprising to many people VINO
know the Poles as better spenders
than savers.
These people have so long been
discouraged by conditions in Eu-
rope hat their ambition has been
said by some critics to be dormant.
Geore Brandes pronounced the Rus
sian Poles d~ilettantes. playing with a
dozen careers in a lifetime, and car
ing very little whether success came
with any OF them. In America, they
manage great opportunities, and
most of them settle down TO make
money.
How Colonies Are Formed.
Like other immigrants, they gath-
er in colonies in the big cities. Chi
cago has the largest colony, tneh
Detroit, and then Buffalo. a few
Poles came 10 these cities because
work was offered there, and from
these nuclei the colonies grew. OPP
preston at home had trained them
to cling to each other for advice and
support, and too, they eagerly
sought out neighborhoods where the
beloved Polish tongue could be
heard.
They formed their communities
around the churches, and when h
churches became too crowded they
built new ones. At home, the church
was the center of the community
life. and in this country they VISA
ed it to be the same. So the value
of a piece of property to a Pole IS
still measured partly by its close
ness to the church of the neighbor-
hood.
a market is also demanded by the
Polish mother wherever she may be.
Early in the morning on Buffalo's
Broadway in the Polish quarter a
procession of housewives can be
seen passing. The Poles are epicu-
reans, even more so than the French,
il is claimed. With all the shops
and their shortcuts to housekeeplng'
the Polish mother makes her W
bread and noodles. And when she
returns from market her loadea bas-
ket is very apt to hold a squawking
| goose or hen which h will Kill ana
pluck herself.
The Polish language which these
mothers. many of them, taught TO
their children in secret in Europe,
is on every tongue in the market
parade. The children and the IA
Tiers generally mix with the Ameri-
can world and pick up English
| slang included, in six months. But
the mother from Poland often re-
mains a Pole and clings tot he famll-
lar ways all her life.
She does adopt the American
| clothes. The gay national dress
would be too conspicuous, perhaps
But even IL she wished TO wear it.
the shops of tbs district are full only
OF the latest style. SO for a market
ing costume, the Polish woman con-
tents herself with a plain shirt
waist and skirt. and generally
showl.
Not all the Poles In Buffalo are OF
the working class. There are many
wealthy families and successful
business and professional men.
Three Types of Poles.
The different Polish types that In
this country blend without dif1culty
as they gradually absorb American
characteristics are less adaptable IN
Poland. That is one difficulty in the
Polish situation now. There arc
three types Of Poles developed by
the three nations that have ruled
the people for $50 years.
The German Pole has been edu-
Gated along practical lines in a des-
peratN attempt TO make a substan-
tial German citizen of him. Some
thirty-hve years ago laws were