Page:The Third International to the Workers of all Countries Concerning the Polish Question (1920).pdf/7

 the Polish capitalists and landlords hoped that with his victory over imperialism the Russian Tzar would with the assistance of the sharks of the French Stock Exchange establish an «independant» Poland under his protecorateprotectorate [sic]. All the plans for the establishment of an independant Poland with the assitance of Austrian and German Imperialism ended in that the champion of these plans, the Polish social compromiser who was a revolutionary once upon a time but who during the war had become the leader of the Polish legions, Joseph Pilsudsky, has found himself behind the burs of the Magdeburg fortress. Poland has attained a certain degree of independaceindependance [sic] only owing to the fact that under the pressure of the wide masses of Russia and Germany imperialism gave way in these countries. The Polish ruling classes were at the head of the government and being under the domination of the victorious countries, hoped that these will not only assist them to suppress the Polish revolutionary movement and put the Lithuanians, White Russians and the Ukrainians completely under their domination, but will also render every aid for the revival of Polish capitalism.

Whilst taking an interest in the military strength of Poland, the Allies, however, evinced not the slightest regard as to the revival of Polish industry. They gave the Poles neither machinery, nor raw material, nor corn… The trains that went from Paris via Coblence to Warsaw carried only military freight, instruments for the extermination of man by man. Poland's economic position was driven into an ever growing impass. The masses of the people are starving; speculators and prostitute officials are holding banquets;—a festival in time of plague, it may be called. The wave of public indignation is growing with every day.

The hope entertained, that Poland as a country not loaded with State debt, will be helped by the Allies to obtain a large credit abroad.—was completely shattered. Polish currency is at a lower rate than that of defeated Germany. For all the goods received from the Allies the Poles have to pay at exhorbitant prices; on the other hind French, American and English speculators export unhindered the last remnants of the wealth of devastated Poland.

The result of all this is the growing distrust, irritation and hatred towards the Allies not anlyonly [sic] of the mass of the people but even of a part of the bourgeoisie and of the Polish offi-