Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-11
Continued From First Page.l

IOr the HToSlQenCy were 1OllUWGu WIN
the greatest interest. This man Smith
interested them, too-he seemed to be
man of the people, candidate of the
Left. And his opposition to prohibition
seemed only incontrovertible common
eense-for prohibition is one American
ideal that the Poles cannot understand.
AS we'll try to make an American see
sense In Polish spelling. SO great was
their interest in the American elections
in 1928 that straw vote was conducted
in Warszawa. Hoover won by a tre-
mendous ma jority.
Yes, Hoover is a household name in
Poland II the Poles were reminded OF
his birthday they probably would have
the school children parade or hold
gala day at the opera with a special
presentation of Puccinis Girl Of the
Golden West" in honor of the American
President Wilson is remembered for
his fourteen points, especially for the
one guaranteeing "self-determination
for small nations but Hoover is the
man who brought the food, and he is
likely to remain hero in Polish folk
lore
Fails to Attract Tourists.
Now on my first visit to the land and
city of my nativity after nine years in
a nation so friendly and so interested
in the United States it seems a pity to
encounter so little knowledge of Poland.
It Is not that Poland has not given us
heroes. Kosciusko and Pulaski still
adorn Fourth of July oratory, and in
recent years there were few Europeans
in whom we have taken greater interest
than Joseph Conrad and Nine. Curie.
But the land of their birth is hurriedly
passed through by American CORE
spondents on their way to view for
themselves and report on the ominous
picture of the land to Poland's east.
Your little country in Eastern Eu-
rope" Is the way man who should have
known better spoke of Poland to me the
other day. Certainly here Is case
where Macaulay's famous phrase, every
Schoolboy would know" holds true. It
is evident that the new map of Europe
studied in such detail in New York's
grammar schools is not familiar to the
adults, not even to the intelligentsia,
Children in the sixth grade could tell
them that Poland is almost as large as
France and that only five European
countries have larger populations.
My friends In America are surprised
at my Polish patriotism. They seem
to expect from me the same casual
comparisons with the American stand
ard that are voiced by visitors back
from Europe But became Polish
citizen, and one could no more live
Thorough that ancient nations rebirth in
liberty since the war without being
fred by it than one could have re-
manned cold here in 1917-or in 1776,
for that matter.
Miracles Wrought in Poland.
To appreciate the miracle that the
Poles have wrought, one must remefn-
Der that, like Belgium in the West, 1t
was Poland's fate to be the theater OF
war in the East. Also remember that
the Poles had lost their freedom about
when we gained ours, and since had
lived within three empires with very
different governments and very differ
ent laws.
But the war in Poland covered more
territory and lasted longer than in Bel
GUM. Twice the German and Austrian
forces drove the Russians back across
the whole breadth of Poland. And
then In 1920, long after the other ma
tons were at peace, a more terrible
was driven back only after it had
reached the gates of WarsZawa.
It was in November, not long after
that victory, that / arrived in WarsZawa
Con my honeymoon). I had been mar
ried to Count Thadee SkarZynski a
month before In st. Patrick's Cathedral.
New York, and was by virtue of that
lIld1IloSC C1lOCAi1B bAtC 1iAOCb
sristocracy of Europe. The day before
we had crossed the border, and Thadee
had got of the train to kiss the soil Of
his country. I was beginning to learn
more about patriotism.
Then for q whole day we had ridden
over the devastated and deserted plain
of Galician Poland. In all that ride to
Warszawa I saw only one factory CHM
ney-and this country to the south Is
the industrial part of Poland. We
passed through burned villages, one
after the other. The very trees, all
bare, seemed to have experienced worse
than November frosts, and some of
them evidently had been blasted by
shell fire. There seemed to be no evil
dence of cultivation of the land.
Contrasted With England.
It was only two years later, however,
that Austin Harrison, member of one
OF the many official committees sent to
Poland, wrote in the English Quarterly
Review: Travelling from end to end
OF Poland, did not see a patch of
uncultivated soil, in sad contrast to
England" That was how quickly Po-
land recovered, but it did not seem
possible then. And as for factory Chin
neys, a glance at the latest report of
the Polish minister of manufactures
will suggest how much smoke must be
coming from them today.
We arrived at WarsZawa at night,
elighting in q wooden shed temporarily
replacing the Vienna station, one of
the great terminals of Central Europe,
which had been blown up by the Rus
SLAMS. The city was absolutely dark.
NO coal could be spared to make gas
or electricity. Wave after wave of silent
people seemed to be passing in the
streets They had crowded into the
city to get the American food. The
Bristol Hotel, which was to be my home
for some time, seemed to be a blaze of
light after l0-minute ride through
tnat dark, silent city, city Of 100000
people.
Today Warszawa is one of the bright
est and gayest capitals of the world. It
is known as the Paris of the North. {"
not because its architecture is predomi-
nantly French but because of the cheer
fulness OF its people-a trait which is
SO evident in their many fetes and in
their dancing. Why, the Polish ma
ttonal anthem itself is an invitation to
dance! 1t is lifting mazurka indigo
nous to the ball room rather than the
parade grounds.
Known As polite PeopIe.'
They are polite people. Never have
! been treated with such courtesy and
difference. was the recipient of
friendly interest rather than an object
OF curiosity. And they are difidently
modest people. They condoled with me
on my misfortune in leaving my mar
Vicious. wealthy country to share their
poverty. This politeness is an attribute
OF the peasant as we'll as the aristocrat.
Wherever you go they offer to kiss your
knee, even in response to the smallest
OF tips. And this politeness is not a
gesture nf iflfauacfal carxiiitx, nx,o