THE VOICE OF FREE POLAND
On April 25 relations were severed between the Soviet Government and
the Emigre-Government of General Sikorski. Whom does this emigre-government represent?
The Polish people? By no means. The Polish people has neither elected, nor appointed,
nor conferred powers on this government. The present Polish Government took over the
functions of the remnants of the Rydz-Smigly Government, which fled from Poland after
Poland's defeat in 1939.
From the very outset this government was opposed to the struggle of
the Poles who fell under Hitler's yoke against their enslavers. In spite of that, the
Polish people has fought and continues to fight, and has proved, by deeds, that it has
nothing in common with the fatal suicidal policy of waiting and inaction championed by
the Polish Government.
But possibly General Sikorski's Government represented the Poles who
found themselves outside Poland? No, the Poles outside Poland did strive, and are
striving, to fight Poland's mortal foe - Hitlerite Germany. The Polish Government tries
to get the credit for the heroism of Polish soldiers, airmen and sailors who took part
in the Norwegian and African campaigns, in the air battle of Britain, in air-raids on
Germany and in naval raids.
LEADERS REFUSED TO FIGHT
With the help of the Allies, it built up an army. But in what spirit did
it rear this army, what tasks did it set before this army? It is no secret to anyone
that the leadership of this army was profoundly reactionary. It tried to foster
anti-democratic pro-fascist sentiments. It conducted intense propaganda in its army
against its Soviet Ally, on whose territory it functioned.
The command of this army refused to march to the front, refused to take
part in struggle and took its troops out of the U.S.S.R.
The Poles have one desire - to liberate Poland, to wrest their bleeding
country from the Hitlerite talons. The Poles understand that this is possible only in
firm and honest alliance with the democratic powers fighting against Hitler.
ATTACKS ON AN ALLY
But what did the Polish Government do to strengthen this alliance?
Incessantly, from the very first day of its existence, this government permitted not
only unofficial, but even official Polish journals, to indulge in the most infamous
attacks on this very ally who shouldered the brunt of the struggle against Hitler.
Impermissible articles appeared incessantly in the Polish press published in Britain and
certain newspapers of the Polish army, and - as if that was not enough - even in the
organ of the Polish Embassy in Kuibyshev!
SNIPING AT BRITAIN AND AMERICA
The pseudo "illegal" radio station "Swit", ceaselessly poured insults on
the country which helped to organize and arm the Polish Army. Members of the
self-appointed "National Council" ("Rada Narodowa") waged a ceaseless campaign of slander.
They waged it against the Soviet Union, but it was accompanied at the same time by jabs
at Britain and America, at public figures and representatives of those countries.
Even the patient British press, the press of the hospitable country which
in the days of war gave refuge to the Poles and surrounded them with care, repeatedly had
to raise its voice in an effort to check the irresponsible pranks of Polish politicians
who tried to drive a wedge into the unity of the participants of the Anglo-Soviet-American
Fighting Alliance.
We have never lulled ourselves by the hope that the openly pro-Hitlerite
acts of the Matuszewskis and Doboszynskis would meet with a rebuff on the part of General
Sikorski's Government. True, the Polish emigre circles in London repeatedly staged a
farcical "drawing of a demarcation line", but Matuszewski, for instance, who comes out
most vehemently against Sikorski, was at the same time a frequent and welcome guest at
the information bureau of the official Polish representation in America.
Doboszynski kept publishing his supposedly "illegal" news-sheet until
the British took matters in their hands, and so on and so forth.
HARMING THE GOOD MIND OF THE POLISH PEOPLE
From the very outset we plainly saw through these people. We knew that
they differ only outwardly from those who brought disaster upon Poland in 1939; that
essentially they are bound with these people by thousands of ideological, personal and
traditional ties. We knew these people when still in Poland. Later we watched their
activities, intrigues and machinations abroad.
We saw how they reduced the Polish Army in the Soviet Union to inaction.
We saw quite enough of their representatives systematically and brazenly
robbing Poles in the Soviet Union of American, British and Soviet money, food and things
given to them as aid. We saw quite enough of their stupid arrogance and haughtiness which
harmed us at every step.
They harmed the sympathies which the polish people evoked by its heroic
conduct in 1939, by its struggle of almost four years' duration.
PRESENT GOVERNMENT DOES NOT REPRESENT PEOPLE
The present Polish Government was elected neither by the people nor by
representatives of the people. it does not represent the people's will, endeavours or
aspirations.
The Polish Government was neither able nor willing to lead the people in
the struggle against Hitlerism. It was neither able nor willing to attend honestly to the
fate of the Poles scattered all over the world. It was neither able nor willing to
strengthen Poland by remaining loyally in the fighting ranks of the democracies.
It persistently travelled its course until at last, during the latest
events, it finally revealed its true face.
LINK WITH BERLIN
In our patriotic journal Wolna Polska, we have been repeating for
two months already that the Emigre Government keeps sliding to a pro-Hitlerite position,
that hidden threads, binding certain Polish elements in London and New York with Berlin,
become more and more apparent. We pointed to the distinct fascist intonation not only in
utterances of Matuszewski and Mackiewicz, but also in the Polish Government's official
journals.
We pointed to the undoubted connections between the "Swit" radio station
and Goebbels' agency. We pointed to the propaganda within General Anders' Army.
A PLANNED CAMPAIGN
Now the situation is perfectly clear. On both sides of the ocean these
people have launched a planned campaign against the Soviet Union. This commenced at the
time of the temporary spring lull in the operations at the front, i.e., on the eve of
decisive battle, in the period when the Hitlerites are frantically preparing "total
mobilisation" in all occupied countries, and in Poland in the first place.
One fine day, we learn that the Polish Bishop Gawlina comes out in
America with the nonsensical, slanderous accusation, alleging that 400,000 Polish
children perished in the Soviet Union, and that 600,000 Polish children are engaged in
heavy labour on collective farms. Gawlina's statement failed to cause any significant
reaction.
It was too obviously fabricated, it too greatly contradicted all real
figures of the total number of Poles residing in the U.S.S.R., too greatly contradicted
facts which could be easily ascertained. The first shot misfired.
The second shot was prepared more thoroughly. It was announced to the
world that thousands of Polish officers were brutally murdered in the Soviet Union. The
graves were found, witnesses, documents, names of the killed were found and - names are
nothing - according to the reports of the Hitlerite vassals' agencies, even culprits
were found, "Bolshevist Jewish Commissars", who patiently remained for two years in the
German-occupied district of the Smolensk region, and just waited until the time when at
last it occurs to the Gestapo to arrest them.
It would seem that every Pole ought to turn with disdain from this fresh
German masquerade, from this abominable spectacle of the Hitlerite hangmen pulling their
victims out of graves and shedding crocodile tears over them. But no! The Polish
Government deemed it apposite to take part at once in this abominable farce. It dared to
join quite unequivocally in Hitler's campaign, to support and fan it and try to lend it
an air of verisimilitude.
FASCIST ACTIVITY
We do not know when and where - history will reveal that later - we do
not know who - history will later brand him - drew up together with the Hitlerites the
plan of this campaign of anti-Soviet slander and co-ordinated the action.
But we do know who went into the attack together with the Hitlerites. It
was obvious even prior to this that Hitlerite elements were active in the Polish
Government. Now we see that they have taken the upper hand and have determined the tenor
and direction of the acts of that government. We are averse to one thing only - that the
past and present doings of the Polish Government should cast a shadow on the Polish
people, on Poles, and therefore we note once more: the Polish Government never
represented Poland but only a group of emigres.
It never had anything in common with occupied Poland which, contrary to
propaganda and instructions of that government, contrary to its calls to fight against
the guerillas, did and does heroically fight the enemy.
BARGAINING FOR SOVIET TERRITORIES
The Polish Government made bargaining for frontiers its main task, but
it bargains not for Polish lands occupied by the Germans, not for territories captured
previously by the Germans on the Baltic Sea and in the west, but for the lands of Soviet
Byelorussia, the Soviet Ukraine and Soviet Lithuania, lands populated by our brothers
with whom the Polish people want to live in peace.
The Polish Government forced into silence and strangled all progressive
and truly democratic and truly patriotic elements in emigration. It forced into inaction
the army ready for struggle, whose soldiers wanted to fight and in which all Poles
placed such great hopes. It always strove to undermine Poles who trusted in our natural
ally - the Soviet Union. Every Pole understands that this alliance is a matter of life
and death for Poland, the more so now when it is here on this front that the destinies
of Europe, the destinies of Poland are at stake.
And, lastly, by its contact and collusion with the Hitlerites, the Polish
Government finally compromised itself in the eyes of all those who regard the Hitlerites
as mortal enemies, which is what they are to every honest Pole. It is obvious that the
present Polish Government which departs from the interests, will and aspirations of the
people was sliding down the slope which was bound to bring it to ultimate bankruptcy.
It was precisely for this reason that we Poles in the U.S.S.R. demanded
that we be given an opportunity to take part in the war, arms in hand.
When General Anders took his army away to the vicinity of Bagdad, we
demanded that Polish troops be formed on the territory of the U.S.S.R. which would not
stay for months in tents but would go to the front to fight the enemy shoulder to
shoulder with the Red Army.
We trust that the Soviet Government will accord us Poles residing in the
Soviet Union the opportunity to fight for our homeland arms in hand, shoulder to shoulder
with the Soviet citizens of all nationalities, that it will accord us the opportunity to
win the right to return to our homeland in the course of fighting the hateful enemy.
We know that the friendship of the Polish and Soviet peoples, cemented
with blood in the joint struggle, is unshakeable. We know that this friendship will grow
and strengthen despite all provocational machinations of our enemies.
KATYN MEMORIAL WALL
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