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Polish Organs in London Extol Democracy, Defend Role of Jews in War

April 1, 1941
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Both semi-official Polish weeklies devote considerable space to extolling democracy and democratic institutions, one of them denying the contention of an anti-Semitic member of the Polish National Council that the Jews had no role in this war.

The periodicals appeared following a meeting of the Council on Thursday night at which right-wing members refrained from voicing approval of the Polish Government’s policy of equal rights for Jews and General Zeligewski accused the Jews of seeking “domination.”

At this meeting, it was learned today, another right-wing deputy, Juzwiak, suggested that the Jews leave Poland after the war and be colonized in Eritrea, Italian possession in North Africa, drawing from Jewish Deputy Ignacy Schwartzbart the reply that only Palestine was acceptable as a Jewish State, then the question could not be discussed by the Polish council and that Juzwiak did not possess Eritrea and therefore could not give it away.

The Polish weekly Wiadomosci Polskie, in an editorial written by Editor Novakowski, denounced General Zeligowski’s recent pamphlet diagnosing the war as a battle of races, a fight of “gallant Slavs against the Germans in which the Jews have no part.” The editorial asserted that it was “a war of ideas, totalitarianism against democracy, and Poland is fighting for democracy.”

Meanwhile, at a meeting of the Agudath Israel several members criticized anti-Semitic activities in certain Polish circles in Britain. H.A. Goodman, political secretary, asserted that the Jews had the right to expect the Polish Government would now prepared for establishment of a post-war democracy in Poland in which anti-Semitism would be considered anti-social. A liaison committee was appointed to consult Schwartzbart constantly.

Meanwhile, the New Zionist Organization issued a statement protesting against Schwartzbart’s statement coupling the Polish Zionist-Revisionists with anti-Semites in his speech on Thursday. Schwartzbart had said the proposal for evacuation of Jews from Poland was supported only by anti-Semites and by the Revisionists.

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