Scotland Yard and the Home Office have been asked by members of Parliament to investigate threats made against them for raising in the House of Commons, the issue of anti-Semitism in the Polish army, it was reported here today.
John Mack, Laborite, told the Evening News that he and other members have received threats both by telephone and in writing. One letter said Mack was wasting his time in “sloppy, sentimental talk.” Tom Driberg, who first raised the issue in the House of Commons, also reported that he has received a number of anonymous abusive letters attacking him for his activities in behalf of the Polish Jews.
Mack expressed the view that the threats were part of an organized campaign. The police view is that, while some of the threats are undoubtedly from cranks, there is a “serious element behind them.”
Meanwhile, the Scottish Trade Union Congress yesterday unanimously adopted a resolution protesting the imprisoning of the Polish Jewish soldiers. In leaving the Polish forces under present conditions, the soldiers were only continuing their fight against anti-Semitism, the resolution says. If the Polish Government is unable or unwilling to stamp out anti-Semitism among its own forces, “we should see that our Government does the job for them,” the resolution concludes.
It was learned today that Emanuel Szerer, a Jewish member of the polish national Council, conferred with Polish Premier Stanislaw Mikolajezyk over the week-end. Reiterating his stand that Jews should remain in the Polish forces, Szerer, nevertheless demanded annulment of the court martial verdicts against 21 Jewish soldiers who left the Polish Army to join the British forces, and court-martialing of the anti-Semites responsible for creating a situation which forced the Jews to leave. Szerer also opposed the demand for separate Jewish units in the Polish forces, which, he said, would only hinder the fight against anti-Semitism and create bad feelings in both camps. Mikola jozyk promised to give “sympathetic consideration” to Szerer’s demands.
It was also learned that the Council debated the question of the court-martials at a secret session this week, during which several questions were put to Defense Minister Gen. Marjan Kukiel, who promised to reply at the next session of the body.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
