Foreign Language Press Service

A German "Caws" Over the Downfall of Poland in Herald and Examiner

Narod Polski, July 20, 1921

On the 14th of July, one of Hearst's newspapers in Chicago, bearing the name of "Herald and Examiner" had an article in the financial section which was written by Mr. Hinman, a German, with "Hinderburg's Snout" who writes about the downfall of Poland. Here is the quintessence of the article:

"Poland is cracking, it is facing a financial crisis; Poland, is threatened with bankruptcy; Poland might disintegrate. Such are the last dispatches from Berlin. In order to avert disaster, Poland must resort to a compulsory requisition of private property which will be up to 20% of the income! This, usually is the last straw before drowning. Poland has made the same financial mistakes that other European countries have. She took the same road which has led other countries to catastrophe; she excused herself by the same unwise propaganda. It is not strange then, that she met with the same law degree of punishment and downfall as that of her predecessors.

In the first nine months, after signing a truce with Germany, Poland has spent five times more than she has collected from taxation. In the following nine months she has spent eight times more than she has collected by taxation! There was an attempt to cover the colossal difference between income and expenditure by putting billions of paper marks into circulation.

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The national debit, which was $3,750,000, was increased to $25,000,000,000, last year; and is still going up. The gold reserve amounts to only $3,500,000."

This is how Mr. Hinman interprets the news from Berlin. Of course it would be a miracle if dispatches, from Berlin would sound differently, because German interests are leaning hard to the lowering of Polish money, economic ruin of Poland. Germans have spent a million marks for that purpose, and now they believe they have accomplished it. They are triumphant. But, it is surprising that a newspaper would publish such falsehoods. Evidently, the Herald and Examiner is trying to hurt Poland, with German money.

Poland is experiencing a financial crisis, but there will be no downfall, for in due time, the force and strength of the nation will uphold her.

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