Polish Chauvinism

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 153, 1 July 1939, Page 8

Polish Chauvinism

PROPAGANDA AGAINST GERMANY Among a large number of Poles there exists a definitely aggressive spirit, typified by tho slogan 4 * Back to Gruncwald"—a battle in the Middle Ages, when the Teutonic knights were beaten by a Slavonic combination under the leadership of Poland, notes Mr. Frank Clements, writing in the Spectator of a recent visit to Poland. They are anxious for war with Germany, and have dreams of recapturing “the lost province" of East Prussia and of establishing a Polish frontier on the Oder. Too much importance must not be given to these extremists, who, for all their numbers, are still a minority, but their influence seems to be increasing, and they are carrying out some very clever propaganda which may profit from the general feeling of exasperation against Germany. They have, | for example, neatly copied the Nazi ■ trick of drawing old maps to justify claims, and one can see prominently displayed in Warsaw shop windows maps of an era when Poland extended from Central Germany to the Black Sea. The great danger in this is that the Pole does not regard the recently concluded pact with Britain in quite the same way as we do. He is inclined to see in it a guarantee of support for any sort of action against Germany, and if the extremists ever get the upper hand I bitter misunderstandings might result. One can detect in conversation with | Government press circles an awareness iof the necessity to enlighten Polish j opinion on this matter, but it is difficult to see liow they can do much while I emotions are so inflamed without bewildering the public and shaking the confident self-reliance of the nation.