Students Picket Warsaw Colleges in Strike Protesting Segregation

GUARDED BY A STRONG POLICE DETACHMENT, MORE THAN A THOUSAND WARSAW JEWISH STUDENTS JAMMED THEIR STUDENT HOUSE TODAY AS THEY OPENED A 48-HOUR STRIKING AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT-SANCTIONED INTRODUCTION OF “GHETTO BENCHES” IN THE CAPITAL’S UNIVERSITIES.

AT THE SAME TIME PICKET LINES WERE THROWN AROUND ALL COLLEGES. NON-JEWISH LIBERAL AND DEMOCRATIC STUDENTS, WHO HAVE PROTESTED AGAINST THE SEGREGATION ORDER, MARCHED WITH THE JEWISH PICKETS. THE STUDENTS’ STRIKE COMMITTEE CLAIMED THE STRIKE WAS 100 PER CENT EFFECTIVE.

BESIDE THE POLICE GUARD SURROUNDING THE STUDENT HOUSE IN PRAGA, A WARSAW SUBURB, A CORDON OF JEWISH STUDENT GUARDS WAS THROWN AROUND THE BUILDING, EVERY AVAILABLE INCH OF WHICH WAS CROWDED WITH STRIKERS OF 80TH SEXES. THE STUDENT GUARDS BARRED ALL STRANGERS. ONLY PERSONS BEARING STUDENT REGISTRATION CARDS WERE ADMITTED TO THE BUILDING.

ASIDE FROM THOSE ON THE PICKET LINES, A NUMBER OF LIBERAL NON-JEWISH STUDENTS PRESENTED THEMSELVES AT THE JEWISH STUDENT HOUSE AND OFFERED THEIR ASSISTANCE IN THE “BLOODLESS BLOCKADE.”

MAY HOLD HUNGER-STRIKE TODAY

THE STRIKERS, IT WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE COMMITTEE, PLANNED TO REMAIN IN THE BUILDING OVERNIGHT. THE POSSIBILITY OF TURNING THE PROTEST INTO A HUNGER STRIKE TOMORROW WAS BEING CONSIDERED.

THE JEWISH DEPUTIES CLUB, WHICH COMPRISES MEMBERS AND FORMER MEMBERS OF THE POLISH PARLIAMENT, SENT A MESSAGE TO THE STRIKERS PRAISING THEIR COURAGE IN DEFENDING “YOUR OWN DIGNITY AND THE DIGNITY OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE.”

RECTORS OF THE WARSAW UNIVERSITIES ANNOUNCED A DECISION TO TAKE DISCIPLINARY MEASURES AGAINST THE STRIKING STUDENTS AND AGAINST ALL WHO REFUSED TO OCCUPY THE DESIGNATED BENCHES.

JEWISH AND LIBERAL STUDENTS IN KRAKOW, WILNO AND POZNAN, WHERE “GHETTO BENCHES” HAVE NOT BEEN INTRODUCED AS YET, WENT OUT ON A ONE-DAY STRIKE AS AN EXPRESSION OF SOLIDARITY WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES HERE.