Politics and Economy

Under this title the distinguished Polish economist St. A. Kempner publishes an interesting article in "Kur. Por.", in which he explains that the question of fixing the rate of the new Polish currency on the world market depends to a very great extent on… Polish relations with the "national minorities"!

"Apart from the countless exceptions among the French papers, the foreign economic press, which calls on the opinion of the world for peace, humanitarianism, an end to quarrels, argues that one of the obstacles to this is supposedly Poland's irritating policy in national matters."

So says Kempner. And he goes on to cite interesting statements from foreign newspapers:

"Here, among other things, we read that Poland has given proof that she has, in equal measure, both material and intellectual strength to play a distinguished role in the family of cultured nations, but has not yet shown sufficient moral strength. A policy of chauvinism, a policy that puts a bridle on the development of the peoples joined to the Polish state, is not only harmful to the internal cohesion of the state, but also creates abroad an incitement to international antagonisms. And this does not yet allow full confidence in the recovery of the treasury, which must likewise be founded on a basis of internal peace."

That is why Mr. Grabski began to make a show of dealing with the question of the "minorities". In our view, this question was settled long ago… on paper: in the Versailles treaty on the rights of the "minorities" and in the Polish constitution. And all the present conferences of representatives of the authorities with Polish party figures only confirm once more that Mr. Grabski has no intention of abiding by either the treaty or the constitution. As for the world's exchanges, these conferences are hardly likely to calm them…