Polish Anti-semites’ Resentment of Exiles Parliament Debate

An important debate on the Jewish question took place today on the opening of the Polish Sejm or parliament, after an adjournment of seven months.

Professor Rybarski, leader of the nationalistic, anti-Semitic National Democrat “Endek” party, which is in opposition to the Pilsudski government, severely attacked the government policy on the German Jewish question. He declared that even during the present crisis, Jews are still living better than the non-Jews. It is impossible to convert Poland into a refuge for Jews, Professor Rybarski declared, when even a philo-Semite country like the United States does not admit German Jewish refugees. He stated that although he esteems the Jewish people, he cannot permit a foreign ### to penetrate Polish life.

The anti-government peasant leader, Rog, declared that while he recognizes the crime that has been committed against the German Jews, and while Poland would never follow the Nazi example, nevertheless, he cannot understand the Jewish policy of fighting against the Nazi dictatorship, while supporting the Polish dictatorship of Marshal Pilsudski.

Deputy Joshua Thon, Polish Zionist and rabbi of the Cracow Jewish community and long a member of the Polish parliament, derided the claim advanced by Professor Rybarski that the Jews are wealthy and asked whether Rybarski reached this conclusion because the Jews so generously participated in the national Polish loan, contributing their last pennies.

Rabbi Thon declared that he was proud that the Polish government was championing the historic fight against barbarism and for civilization. He rejected utterly Rybarski’s allegation that Poland was flooded with German Jews, pointing out that only 4,500 German Jews, mostly Polish citizens, had sought refuge in Poland out of an estimated total of 65,000 Jewish refugees who fled from Germany.

Not Poland, but Palestine, is the Jewish goal, Rabbi Thon concluded.