Evening star., 1939-09-03
The Spirit of Poland

The Spirit Of Poland
Americans certainly are not sur
prised by the courage of the Polish
people In their hour of trial. No
one even sketchily familiar with the
history of the struggle which re-
suited in the establishment of the
United States needs to be reminded
of the heroism of Count Casimir
Pulaski and Thaddeus Kosciusko.
The former, having served his mill
tary apprenticeship against the Rus
slams and been driven into exile in
Turkey, came to Massachusetts in
1777 to offer his sword to George
Washington, fought in Pennsylvania,
New Jersey and South Carolina, was
killed at the siege of Savannah in
October, 1779. His compatriot, edu-
Gated in arms at Versailles, also
joined the coloniSts in their revolt
against the British crown, took part
In the New York campaign and was
present at Yorktown He returned
to Poland to accept the command of
the revolutionary forces in the out
break of 1894, defeated the Russians
at Raclawice, defended Warsaw
against both Russia and Prussia,
was wounded and taken prisoner at
Maciejowice. The Emperor Paul re-
leased him from confinement after
two years, only to be reproached for
having deprived him of his country.
His final effort in the name of lib
erty was an appeal to the Car
Alexander I, of whom he begged a
free constitution for the Polish ma
tion-in vain.
Less famous, perhaps, but equally
devoted to the cause of human free
dom, was Brigadier General Wlade-
mier krzyonowski, gallant and
chivalrous soldier in the Civil War,
later a skilled administrator in
Alaska. He was but one of a con-
siderable number of Poles who went
into battle under the Stars and
Stripes. In civil life, also, men and
women of Polish birth or extraction
were achieving distinction through
out the 18th and 18th centuries.
Helena Opid, for example, may be
cited with unfading appreciation for
the contribution of her genius to
the American theater. Her con-
temporaries knew her best as Madam
Modjeska, immortal among the
greatest actresses who ever trod the
boards. A daughter of Krakow, she
was the first to produce Ibsen in the
United States. Her Shakespearian
interpretations were memorable. It
was said that she could move an
audience to laughter or to tears
by the mere recital of the multiplica-
ton tables Her son Ralph became
a celebrated engineer and bridge
builder.
In music particularly bond of
sympathy between Poland and
America long has endured. Ignace
Jan Paderewski made his New York
debut in 1891 and soon was acknowl-
edged the dean of pianoforte artists.
The De Reszke brothers, Edouard
and Jean, were opera stars of the
first magnitude, abundantly ap-
plauded at the Metropolitan Leopold
Stokowski most notably maintains
his reputation as conductor of
symphonies. Similarly, the talents Of
Wladyslaw Theodor Benda, painter
and illustrator, have brought plea
sure to all who love beautiful books.
His masks prove his powers of imag-
ination, his murals his competency
as craftsman in colors.
Possibly, every Pole is born with
an inheritance of romance. Be that
as it may, there can be little question
about the vitality, the bravery, the
zeal, the profound integrity of the
Polish people at home or abroad.
The land they have striven so des-
perately to gain may be denied them,
yet they will survive unspoiled.
According to Reich authorities a