The Wyandotte news-herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1943-1963, 1945-04-26
.....by.
strauss
CAN'T
Report of the
Polish American Congress
On San Francisco

Polish American Congress
On San Francisco
YESTERDAY MARKED the OPEN
ing of the international conference
IN San Francisco.
San Francisco is to be one of the
milestones that mark the way Of
political events which are supposed
70 lead to the victory Of democracy
and to the establishment of an in
ternational order based on institu-
lions to guarantee permanent peace.
We started out with four pillars
the four freedoms signed by repre-
sentatives Of all countries belonging
70 the family Of United Nations.
This was the signal for a revival
Of hope. 1t uplifted the downtrodden
and lighted the way of those en-
gagged in mortal battle. The victors
and the vanquished saw In the light
Of the Charter what moral aims,
what noble hopes we're the answer
to the question, What are we
fighting for?" These were worth
fighting for.
After that followed Casablanca
and Cairo. Teheran and Moscow.
Quebec and Dumbarton Oaks, Yalta
and San Francisco. So far each
conference marks q gradual depar-
ture from idealism, shifting to-
wards realism" towards retreat
and compromise The change Of
heart and mind Is not voluntary nor
Is 1t contemplated. 1t was forced
upon US step by step. We became
entangled In a mesh of cynical
moves not recognizing their con-
nection with the Interior planning
Of Russia. We lost a war of nerves,
overwhelmed by military events and
accomplished facts, surprised and
gradually succumbing to them. Such
Is the consequence of small sins and
mistakes that they involve their vic
tins ever deeper, until helplessness.
It Is Ike the fate of drinker who
gradually loses control without real
izing that 1t Is not the last but the
first drink that was his undoing.
Poland's case is not only a mir
ror Of the past but also barometer
Of the future.
Whoever reads Polish history from
August 1899 to April 1915, will be
able to follow the red line of cruel
logic, Of unacceptable consequences
following grave errors and sins.
The chain of links of appease-
ment from Manchukuo, Ethiopia,
the Rhineland. Austria, Munich. etc..
was finally broken when Poland re-
fused to join It.
Polands mo-, hurled into Hit
ler's face was q heroic act that saved
the soul and destiny of our civil
ization. Poland at that time had a
choice between compromise and
tragic defeat. Poland could have
been rs realistic as was England and
Franch at Munich. Yet Poland then
refused to follow suit. Her stand
changed the course Of history.
One can hardly calculate what
might have resulted had Poland at
that time Of complete moral and
spiritual breakdown of the powers"
accepted compromise. It would seem
that the powers" that were so
powerless physically and morally,
would never forget that contribution
made by Poland. It was a clarion
call to arms and sacrifice against
decay and decline. Europe was that
time sufficiently contaminated with
fascism to go Hitler's way. Europe
was on the brink Of disaster.
Poland. therefore, deserves the
greatest honor and consideration,
because It was her heroic, noble
sacrifice that stemrued the tide Of
an impending moral debacle. Of
fascism and isolation. of compromise
and sppessement, Of the ultimate
trimph Of reaction.
England win come to San Fran
cisco with the pact signed at Munich
with . record Of having appeased
Hitler and sacrificed Czechoslovakia
and democracy.
Russia WI come to San Francisco
with the Ribbentrop- Molotov pact,
cgned IN Moscow and In Berlin.
with Q record Of having physically
and morally assisted Hitler.
France win bring souvenirs OF
vichy. q record Of cooperation With
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