Drastic measures to prevent an outbreak of anti-Jewish excesses in the capital of the Republic had to be taken on Wednesday as the agitation over the anti-Jewish riots in Lemberg on Monday spread to the capital. The disturbances have now developed into a political issue between the nationalist parties which oppose the Pilsudski regime, and the pro-government parties. The accusation has been made by the pro-government party that the riots in Lemberg were provoked by the same hand which was responsible for the murder of Poland’s first elected president, Narutowicz for the purpose of compromising the government before the League of Nations, now when the League Council goes into session in Madrid.
The Warsaw police authorities were informed late Tuesday evening of street demonstrations being planned by the national democratic students for the purpose of expressing their solidarity with their party members in Lemberg who perpetrated the anti-Jewish excesses and to protest against the imprisonment of 40 Lemberg students. Immediately several detachments of mounted police, reserve police and other guardians of public order were mobilized and stationed in the main thoroughfares and public squares where the demonstrants were scheduled to assemble, Guards were also placed in the Jewish quarters of the city and a demand was made to the deans of the Warsaw educational institutions to persuade the national democratic students to abstain from participation in the demonstrations. The students were warned that drastic measures of suppression would be (Continued on Page 4)
Late Wednesday afternoon newspapers carried statements emanating from the pro-government Sejm club circles in which the Lemberg outbreaks were condemned and described directly as “a national democratic provocation” calculated to damage the prestige of Poland abroad and to compromise the present government. The pro-government organ, “Glos Prawdy,” published an editorial containing these charges against the National Democratic party and declaring that the Lemberg events were directed by the same hand which was guilty of the murder of President Narutowicz. Police patrols in the Jewish quarter of Warsaw were continued and special detachments were placed around the Jewish Academicians’ House and the Jewish Students’ Home to prevent attacks.
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