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Blejwas - American Polonia and Września

dzieciom polskim i rodzicom stawającym w ich obronie]. People were asked to send their donations before the New Year to the Reverend Kazimierz Sztucko, the pastor of Chicago’s Holy Cross Parish.⁴⁶ The Committee also inspired stories about the Września affair in the English language press.⁴⁷

Protest meetings were another aspect of the nationwide campaign to bring the Września affair and Prussia policy to the attention of the American public and media. These meetings educated both the immigrants and the American public about the issues. Among the early protests was “an indignation meeting” [indygnacyjne posiedzenia] held in Saint Kazimierz Parish in Milwaukee on December 22, 1901 and led by the pastor, Reverend Idzi Tarasiewicz. Reverend Jan Blechacz, the main speaker, presented “the hypocrisy and breach of faith of the Prussian govemment from the time of the Teutonic Knights to the present” [obłudę i niedotrzymanie słowa rządu pruskiego od Krzyżaków aż do tego czasu]. As was usual with these protests, those assembled adopted a resolution condemning Prussia policy while expressing support for the victims and took up a collection for their relief.⁴⁸ That same day in Buffalo three Polish women’s societies organized a meeting in Fillmore Hall. Everyone heard a Miss Piechocka, who only the month before had retumed from Września, assure the women that “everything the wire services and gazettes publish is true” [to wzsystko jest prawdą co telegramy krajowe i gazety piszą] and contributed $22.65 for the Września victims.⁴⁹ In Grand Rapids, Michigan, also on December 22, $500 was raised. Grand Rapids Polonia was warned of their “obligation” not to buy goods “Madę in Germany”. The pastor, Reverend Szymon Pongania used Wzreśnia in his sermon to speak against intermarriage. He regretted that some Polish women married Germans, Irish, French, and men from other nationalities and lost the Polish language, customs and religion.⁵⁰ In Boston a week later the crowd in the overfilled hall collected $21 and voted a resolution to be published in the English-language Press.⁵¹ That same day in Saint Louis, Missouri $30 was collected at a meeting in Stolles Hall. The beautiful Polish of an American-bom speaker, Miss Mielczarek, was lauded as an example “for many of our young ladies who, when forced to speak Polish - make you shut your ears ... and flee”. The absence of the local clergy was also noted.⁵²

There was of course protest in Chicago. On January 10, 1902 Polish and non-Polish speakers filled Pułaski Hall and condemned the “barbarie action of the Prussians”. Judge Józef La

⁴⁶    “Na chleb dla sierot”. Naród Polski, 18 grudzień 1901. See Appendix B.

⁴⁷    Ks. K. Sztuczko, O.S.C., “Trzechmiesięczna działalność Wdziału Wykonowczego”, Dziennik Cliicagoski, 18 styczeń 1902.

⁴⁸    “Protest parafii św. Kazimierza”, Kuryer Polski, 23 grudzień 1901. See Appendix C. The organizing committee also sent a letter of support to defense attorney Woliński. See Appendix D.

⁴⁹    “Buffalo, N.Y.” Kuryer Polski, 28 grudzień 1901; and “Wiec niewiast polskich w Buffalo, N.Y.” Ameryka, 4 styczeń 1902.

⁵⁰    “Z osad polskich - Z Grand Rapids, Mich.” Kuryer Polski, 27 grudzień 1901.

¹ “Z Boston, Mass.” Zgoda, 2 styczeń 1902.

⁵² „Z osad polskich - St. Louis, Mo.” Ameryka, 11 styczeń 1902.