Between the Lines

The death of Marshal Pilsudski may have far-reaching effects on the political situation of the 3,500,000 Jews in Poland.

It is no secret that Pilsudski played “the strong man” when it came to anti-Jewish outbreaks in Poland. Friendly towards the Jews, he always saw to it that acts of violence against them were suppressed. His outspoken wish was to defeat the anti-Semitic National Democratic Party in its aim for Jewish extermination.

GAIN FOR ANTI-SEMITES

With the death of Pilsudski, the National Democratic Party—which is large in membership and strong in organization—may come to the forefront as never before. This party of the Polish middle class and professionals, has been waiting for Marshal Pilsudski to die. It knew that Pilsudski’s days were numbered and therefore restricted its anti-Jewish activities principally to propaganda, partly out of fear of Pilsudski and partly out of respect for him.

Now that the Marshal is dead, there is no doubt that the strategy of the National Democratic Party with regard to the Jews of Poland will not limit itself to propaganda alone. There is no doubt that this party will now become more aggressive in its activities against the Jews as well as against the Government Party.

CONCERN FOR JEWS

The Government Party in Poland, also aware that Pilsudski’s days were numbered, tried to strengthen its position by recently modifying the Polish Constitution and changing the Parliamentary Election Law in such a way as to secure for itself the necessary power against the National Democratic Party even after Pilsudski’s death. It is. however, to be expected that while the National Democrats did not challenge these changes while Pilsudski was alive, they will challenge them now that the strong man of Poland is dead.

The Jews of Poland, though constantly discriminated against in economic life, always consoled themselves with the fact that as long as Pilsudski was alive Jewish life and property would remain safe. The question of what would happen when Pilsudski died gave Jewish leaders in Poland more serious concern than even the economic misery of Polish Jewry.

POGROMS POSSIBLE

This question is now coming to the fore in all its force. Between the anti-Semitic National Democratic Party on the one hand and the present not-so-friendly-to-the-Jews pro-Government Party on the other, Polish Jewry has good cause for concern as to its immediate future.

The death of Pilsudski will no doubt bring internal strife in Poland. In this internal strife the Jews may be the scapegoat. Jewish organizations abroad interested in the fate of Polish Jewry must now therefore focus their attention on Poland. The political developments in Poland as a result of Pilsudski’s death will certainly not bring better times for Polish Jewry. They may make the Jewish situation in Poland only more acute and even bring it to a point of physical pogroms, if the present government does not succeed in checking the National Democratic Party to the same extent it did while Pilsudski was alive.