Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1922-03-16
POLES ARE QUEER FOLK
]. N. Engie Tells Of How Germans
Are Working Them

1
"The principal pastime OF the IN
habitants of this town seems TO De
attending funerals. -Four professions
with big wooden casket carried high
ON mems shoulders with pOmp ana
solemnity in two days. When one
funeral party leaves the church on
this hotel square, another files III
and the bells begin to ring.
"But the dOings In the theater
room Of this hotel last evening was
different nature, and the kind l am
told that occurs frequently. AS near
as | can get at the facts, the wealthy
German merchants and land owners
OF the community who elected to
stay here and become Polish SUD-
jects are invited and encouraged by
the Polish authorities to organize and
get together for such festive occa-
siops. A hundred invitations were
issued-some came fifteen miles, ana
all. men and women, in full evening
dress. II was plain to see the Prus-
sian type and mentality thick heavy
set pudgy Germans, short from the
ears up and rather low foreheads.
Men with long black coats and high
stiff collars on short thick necKs'
strutted about like proud ROSTERS
but I must admit that some Of the
Younger set would pass for real
American society set I felt little
strange and out Of place with COM
mon black suit and lay-down col
lar-but the landlady said might
step I'm and look arOund-and never
miss a thing If can help it. Not
soul spoke to me but | understood
their German perfectly. l had per-
mitted our Russian Camp Balolika
Enthusiastically wonderful musical
bunch Of 3S instruments to fnrnish
the music-thOugh these Prussic
Pseudo Poles didn't know 1t.
After the orchestra concert the
dancing and heavier drinking pc
gan. smoking was in vogue all the
time, and by II o'clock the festivi-
ties had begun in earnest. Well nlied
with mixture of wine, beer ana
fancy liauor. the guests could dance
without half trying, and more thah
one low necked- bare armed dame
grabbed man and swung I'M
around. The dancing show they put
on would make angels weep. Appar-
emily the fellow who could swing the
girl off her feet most and make her
dress fly out farthest was the hero OF
the crowd. To see some or the stall
fed dodgers bob around looked more
like jumping the jumps than dane
ing. Though the room seemed I'M
heated and the weather cold many |
would stop from sheer exhaustion TO
wipe away the perspiration' II was
dancing with vengeance. A gym
nastic drill would be child's play III
comparison. l awOke between ana
Z this morning and could still near
Yelling and carOusing. The hotel
how tells me some had to be escorted
home Mt 6 o'clock. Yesterday when
| told a man about United states
prohibition he asked how we could
have a New Year. wedding, etc.
They cannot get our conceptions at
all. In spite of their protested aileg-
lance, predict that II these Prus-
slams ever get the least overland
they will wreak everything on the
Poles.
"Whether l find fit living place
here for United States woman Is
n question. In the large city OF Lodz
where we weer six months we fared
quite well in the best suite OF rooms
in the best hotel. but 1t cost us H.
900 marks per manoth. about $oo.
Here I first looked at two available
rooms furnished for 10000 marks
but my Russian attache ana others
thought it criminally high. and so
il was, all things considered. Any
how It was not satisfactory, and
came to this hotel, room 700 marks
go cents) a day. I'll try to stand
the pressure and epend on my wire
to make up the balance of respect
able cost of living.
"This is very dry town. except
ing from a liquor standpoint. Ii an
automobile should accidentally pass
through some day, the people would
think an internal machine dropped
from Mars. But the camp work is
interesting even though distressing
Mt times because of the wretched
| conditions of the Russians in 1t. We
have a few thousand Of the Wrangel
army and about that many Of the Bo-
lohowich army, called the bandits,
and 800 remnants of the BOlsheyist
troops and 80 Ukranian officers. The
latter are from Galicia-a part that
was formerly Australia, they speak
| German and not Russian. They first
fought against the Allies and later
for the Poles when included in their
boundaries, but when Ukrama
claimed that territory they fought
against the Poles and are held here
temporarily as prisoners for fear they
will go back and make propaganda
against the Poles who now have all
the country from Lemburg to Ora
COW which includes Galicia. A hun
dred such criss- cross stories from
happenings and events In the last
four years could be cited in this
chaotic country. The Y. NJ. c. A.
has done wonderful service here.
think 1t will be at least three or
four months before We are ready to