Evening star., 1940-07-31
Poland 10 Live Again
With All Liberties,
Potocki Declares
Nations Heritage Greater
Than Thot Of Enemies,
Says Ambassador
By, ROGER d. SHIELDs.

Says Ambassador
BY ROGER D. SHIELDS.
The Polish Ambassador, Count
jerry Potocki, predicted Monday
in an interview that Poland would
return to the family of nations as
a strong member with all her liber-
ties intact.
Almost a year ago the European
war began with an onslaught by
Germany against Poland, which
socn became parts of Germany and
of Russia. The German military
machine has operated on so many
fronts since the Polish subjugation
that the Polish problem almost has
disappeared from view.
Poland is a problem, however,
especially for Germany, the Am
| bassador said. Germany can And
no Pole to manage puppet gov
ernment in the Nazi-occupied area.
Poland, he said. is still fighting,
although the Polish soldiers In Eng
land are far from the battlef1elds Of
Poland itself.
Poland" Count Potocki said,
"can never die, because the heritage
of our nation is greater than any
which has ever attempted to alb
sorb it." He recalled Poland's come
back after the partitions of the
18th century and her strength in
beating off Russia in 1920.
Totalitarian Ideas Distasteful.
Poland is democratic, and the
Poles are western by definite choice.
Poles recognize the value of strong
leadership, but have an utter dis
taste for totalitarian theology.
I'VE are still fighting, we will con-
tinue to fight" The Ambassador
banged his desk. "And why? What
in this world is worth fighting for?
The blood of thousand battlefields
testif1es to Poland's traditional ideals
OF government. evolved, improved
upon, and fulfilled since the year
124l. To see ruined the work Of a
lifetime-that is bad; but the work
Of 700 years is greater than any
| armed force or modern blitzkreig.
THAT is why Germany cannot
find single Pole to head dummy
government in Poland. That is
Poland's answer to Germany and
Russia. Our government is demo-
cratic republic, somewhat on the
American model" He spoke as
though Poland were a living nation.
Our government is based on the
idea of a strong executive and cab
met responsible to the President,
with the executive controlled by a
lower and upper house of parlia-
ment. the Sejm and Senate. The
President is elected for seven years.
The cabinet of II members conducts
the affairs of the government. The
Marshal Of the armed forces Of the
nation is by law the second citizen
of the Republic, standing next to the
President.
Educational Record Cited.
But this is titular. It Is always
the results of government by which
a nation is judged, and for which its
people will fight to the death. We
are proud of Poland's record. Be-
fore the war, we had over 10000
elementary schools with 5000, 900
pupils; about 1000 secondary and
professional schools and q univer-
sity colleges with $4,000 under
graduates.
Elementary education was free
and compulsory. Poland was the
first nation to create Ministry of
Public Education, in the year 1773.
And certainly this accounts in part
for some of the great Polish names
IN history, names that will live for
ever: Marie Curie, the physicist;
Chopin, Paderewski and Szyman-
owski, as musicians; Metejko, Chel-
monsh and Brandt as painters;
Mickiewicz and Slowacki, as poets.
THE social developments during
the past 20 years have been gen.
orally ahead of other countries. A
total of 100000 farm holdings have
been created or enabled to attain
independent status. Poland today
is land of small farm holdings.
Holdings not exceeding 81 acres in
area account for tWo-thirds of all
the land under cultivation. There
is no truth in the loose statements
that Poland is feudal nation con-
trolled before the war by a landed
aristocracy. The area of arabic land
has been increased by more than
5000, 900 acres" NJ
Poland can recover, the Ambas-
sador said.
Working Conditions Praised.
"War, war, warl One hears
nothing but talk of the war. Sell
dom mentioned is the reason men
keep on fighting. Polish soldiers
have long memories. Poland
emerged from six years of war,
| 1920, in which six-sevenths of
its area had been a battlefield. with
social needs far beyond the possi-
bilities of private welfare agen-
cies to satisfy, and with both the
| conscience to meet these needs ana
a realization Of the necessity of
state initiative.
ITO mention only a few, labor
legislation provides 48-hour week,
holidays with pay, special protection
for women and children, safety leg
islatior, and hygienic working con-
ditions. Workers are protected from
arbitrary dismissal. There are more
than a hundred labor inspectors.
With respect to population, the
ratio of union members in Poland
is higher than in the United States.
Last reports showed 298 labor unions
with a total of 941 900 members.
''The Ministry of Social Welfare
II FRESHEN UP