Evening star., 1924-05-25

capital), and the Polish government i
certain TO take steps to prevent
wealthy Poles from going to the Riviera
to spend their money One of the
measures the government plans to
adopt is to charge 800 for every
passport issued to a Pole. This will
affect only middle-aged Poles and wom-
en- and children, young men of military
age being refused passports, unless
they have gilt-edged papers showing
that they are going abroad on real
business.
Situa tfon mt Dansig.
When 1 visited the free city of
Danzig. four years ago, l saw many
soldiers-dapper British Tommies and
Polish soldiers, wearing the four
pointed Kosciuszko cap. There Were
many British and Polish flags, sentry
boxes. military railroad officials and
twice the usual amount of red tape.
involving special passes for entrance
into certain areas.
Today no soldier of any nationality
are seen in the free state of Danzig.
There is, however, a sufficient number
of policemen in blue and green uni
forms to safeguard the persons and
property of Danzig's population. For
eign flags have disappeared from pub
lie buildings and the sentry boxes
have either been stolen by the shiv
ering poor, to be used as firewood, or
stand inside alleys, as faded, decayine
reminders of a more feverish period.
Under Constant Menace.
Danzig is an Independent country,
whose autonomy is guaranteed by the
league of nations under the treaty of
January 10, 1920, but whose safety
may be considered as continually
menaced. Poland needs Danzig as an
outlet to the sea and is not satisfied
with the privileges of making use of
the harbor for all peaceful purposes
and with the neighboring naval base.
Godynia, turned over to her for mil
itary purposes If Poland has
chance to take Danzig by a coup
detat while other interested powers,
especially Germany, are involved in
other matters, she will do so. accord
ing to military and diplomatic experts
in these parts.
On the other hand, Germany is not'
likely to forget that the Polish cor
ridor," which gives Poland access to
Danzig, has cut off East Prussia from
the rest of Germany, leaving it more
or less at the mercy of the Poles. The
military experts assume, therefore.
that when Germany thinks der tag
bas emma for recapturjne DanZie as
we'll as the "Polish corridor" she viii
try TO do so.
Abandon German Money System.
According to official figures fur
nished me by neutral diplomat in
Danzig, the free state has a popula-
tion of 100000, of whom only from.
to per cent speak Polish. The Of
fetal language is German, but recent
ly Danzig broke away from the Ger
man money system, and, instead of
using German marks as it's official
currency, it is now using gulden.
which are based on the English pound
sterling the official rate of exchange
being 20 gulden to the pound ($4.S6).
Danzig expects considerable boom
In shipping this summer, as the Pol
ish government has announced that
1T will permit emigration from Poland
to the United States and Canada only
by way of Danzig's port. Whether
or not this measure will go through
Is still uncertain. and the free state
has made no preparation to enlarge
the port in order to accommodate the
increased shipping that would result
On the whole, the individual citizen
of Danzig is fairly happy and the city
gives the Impression of prosperity.