The Western news. [volume], October 12, 1933, Page Page Six, Image 6

About The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
Two Polish Champions ^
If of American Liberty
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Pollsh= Americans at the Koscluszko Monument in Humboldt Park, Chfcaqo
«
By ELMO SCOTT WATSON
HE Issuance by the post office de
partment of a special flve-cent
stamp which will be placed on sale
In Chicago, Detroit and Boston on
October 18 and at other post of
flees on October 19 serves to re
' j) call the name of a distinguished
2^# foreigner who, In the words of
■ '1 Postmaster General Parley, "will
be forever perpetuated In the
hearts of the American people."
For this stamp commemorates the 150th anniver
sary of the admission to American citizenship
of Gen. Thaddeus Koscluszko, the Polish soldier
who is known as "the great champion of liberty,''
and this stamp la another tribute to his memory
by the nation whose liberty he helped to estab
lish. Monuments have been erected to him In
Chicago, Boston and Washington, and at the
United States Military academy at West Point,
N. Y. ; a county In Indiana and streets In sev
eral of onr cities bear his name; but the every
day use of the commemorative stamp during Oc
tober by thousands of Americans will recall his
name and fame to more of our citizens than
any of these other memorials have ever done.
October Is a month which Is peculiarly asso
ciated with the history of Koscluszko. It was on
October 18, 1776, that he came to Washington's
camp near New York, bearing a letter of Intro
duction from Benjamin Franklin to the com
mander-in-chief; It was during October of that
year that he was made a colonel of engineers
in the Continental army, became a member of
Washington's military family and began the
se dation wit h the great American which enabled
Koscluszko In later years to call himself proudly
"a friend of Washington": and It was on October
15, 1817, that the Polish champion met his death
by a fall from his horse, an event which the
Poet Campbell has made historic with his
"Hope for a season bade the world farewell
And Freedom shriek'd as Koscluszko fell!"
Also significant In the relationship of Washing
ton and Koscluszko Is the fact that they were
born In the same month, Washington on Feb
ruary 11 (old style), 1732, and Koscluszko on
February 12, 1746. He grew up on his father's
estate, a remote spot In Lithuania. Though of
noble birth, the elder Koscluszko was a man of
property, and his children lived like other chil
dren of their class. Thaddeus seems to have been
a diligent, conscientious boy, with a keen sense
of responsibility. He attended the Jesuit college
In his home town, and In 1764 entered the corps
of cadets In the Royal School of Warsaw.
I-ater he went to France, where he studied
military engineering, especially French fortifi
cations. Sketches made by Koscluszko while he
was studying architecture In Brest, and Paris
are to be seen In Poland's national museums. At
the age of twenty-eight he returned home, to
find the family fortunes sadly depleted.
Just why at this time Koscluszko made up his
mind to go to America Is not entirely clear.
Some attribute It to an unhappy love affair;
others assert he was stirred by the story of
young country fighting for Its Independence. At
all events, he sailed for the New world and
landed at Philadelphia In the summer of 1776,
having mortgaged his patrimony and borrowed
450 ducats to get there.
He seems to have made the acquaintance of
Franklin either In France or in Philadelphia, for
we next hear of him presenting the letter of in
troduction from Franklin, previously referred to.
to Washington In October, 1776. "What can
yon do?" asked Washington, according to the
familiar story. 'Try me and we shall see!" was
the Pole's modest reply. So Washington made
him a colonel of engineers and Xjp soon proved
what he could do.
From October, 1776, to April, 1777, he wnS
busy fortifying Philadelphia, continuing the
work which he had undertaken upon his arrival
there before his services had been accepted by
Washington. Then ho joined Gates' army In the
North and It was Koscluszko who selected and
planned the fortification of Bern!« Heights, near
Saratoga, and his contribution was a material
one to the success of the operations which led
the surrender of Burgoyno at Saratoga.
Shortly /afterwards, Koscluszko planned the
fortifications on the Hudson at West Point,
erally rated as his greatest achievement In the
War for American Independence. Ko&cluszko ar
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KosciuszKo statue
at West Point
rived at West Point In March, 1778, and laid out
additional forts to protect WeSfToint, which
then controlled the principal line of communica
tion from New England to the central and the
southern colonies, In case the British should
send an expeditionary force from New York. He
also strengthened the existing defenses. So much
genera] satisfaction was there with Koscluszko's
work, that Washington In a dispatch says, "To
his care and sedulous appreciation the American
people are Indebted for the defenses of West
Point" It was this Polish soldier who urged that
West Point be chosen when It was later decided
to found a training school for American youth.
He spent two of the six years he was in this
country at West Point, where a monument was
erected in his memory In 1823.
Koscluszko's next service was In the Carolinas
campaign with General Greene and it la said
that Greene's escape from Cornwallis during his
memorable retreat was due largely to the work
of the Polish officer In constructing pontoon
bridges which allowed Greene's army to cross
rivers before the British could overtake It.
The close of the Revolution found Koscluszko
a brigadier-general and a member of the Society
of the Cincinnati. By vote of congress American
citizenship was conferred upon him In October,
1783, and he was granted 500 acres of land on
the Scioto river in Perry county, Ohio, which
he later sold.
American liberty having been won Koscluszko
decided to return to his own land and fight again
for Its freedom. To follow the activities of the Po
lish patriot after his return to his native land
is to follow the stormy days of a Poland fight
ing for freedom against heavy odds. In 1791
Poland, under a now constitution, became a lim
ited monarchy with ministerial responsibility.
Invidious class distinctions wore done away with.
But the new constitution could, not stand
against the old confederation. Polish territory
was a desirable corridor for surrounding potvers.
The little Polish army under Koscluszko and
Prince Joseph Poniatowski did what It could. For
three months It kept hack all Invaders. But
King Stanislaus II of Poland, doubtful of suc
cess, acceded to the demands of the confedera
tion. Poland was again parceled out to her neigh
bors and reduced to one third heir original di
mensions.
Undismayed, Koscluszko and his followers
withdrew to adpslc. T here they laid their plans
for another battle. In this encounter they were
partly victorious, recovering considerable lost
territory. But the game of war against an enemy
«
whose numbers far exceeded their own proved
disastrous. Koscluszko, seriously wounded, was
taken prisoner on the battlefield.
For two years he was confined In the famous
Russian fortress of St Peter and Paul. He was
released upon his request that he be allowed
once more to visit America.
After his second visit to America he settled
down In a house near Paris. There he received
many distinguished guests and worked for a
fatherland he was never to see again. The last
few years of his life were siient with friends
ln Solothurn, Switzerland, where he died In 1817.
Closely connected with the month of October
Is the story of another Polish champion of lib
erty, a comrade In arms of Koscluszko, and a
man whom Americans delight to honor along
with him—Count Casimir Pulaski.
Pulaski was born In Podolla, Poland. March
4, 1748. As a mere boy he threw himself Into the
struggle for Polish liberty. At twenty-one he
stirred up a revolt In Lithuania against the ty
rannical Russians, who were gradually crushing
out Poland's national life.
Though elected commander-ln-chlef of the Po
lish army of Independence In 1770, when but
twenty-two years old, he was defeated In battle
and scored failure after failure. He la said to
have made an unsuccessful attempt the next year
to kidnap King Stanislas of Poland from the
latter's Warsaw palace. As a result of various
mishaps Pulaski was outlawed, his estates con
fiscated and a price set on hts head.
Pulaski fled for his life to Turkey, finding hts
way thence to France, a patriot without a coun
try. In Paris he met Benjamin Franklin, and
heard from him the story of America's struggle
for liberty. Here at last was a chance for the
fugitive to strike another blow for freedom.
Armed with letters of Introduction from Frank
lin. he sailed for Philadelphia In March, 1777,
and joined Washington's army as a volunteer.
Washington appointed the Pole to a place on the
general staff. Pulaski's first American battle was
at the Brandywine, There he rallied companies
of retreating Americans, and so deployed them
as to protect the retreat of our main army. For
this service congress made him a brigadier gen
eral.
He persuaded Washington to raise a body of
light infantry and cavalry and enlist for It all
classes of men. Including prisoners and de
serters.
corps of 350 troops, which was known as the
Pulaski Legion. With his odd following he har
ried the British and won new fame. But he
grew tired of holding so small a command. There
was strife and discontent among the men. Pul
aski gave up his office, and decided to go back
to Europe. |
Washington persuaded him to stay in the army,
and sent hip South to find new scope for his
energies. The southern summer's unbearable
heat and the steaming, unwholesome marshes
where he was often forced to camp told upon
the Pole's health. He fell seriously ill with ma
laria fever. But as fast ns he recovered from
one attack he continued his campaign against
the British until another Illness laid him low.
His health wrecked, he fought on.
The Americans were planning to march against
the English forces that held Savannah, Ga. Pul
aski. acting as advance guard, fell upon the un
prepared enemy, captured some of their outer
fortifications and opened the road 0 for communi
cation between the patriots and the reinforcing
French fleet.
The count was made leader of this
The Americans then laid regular siege to Sa
vannah. Pulaski was made leader of both the
American and the French cavalry and led an
assault on the British lines on October Ö. 1779,
during which he was mortally wounded,
died two days Ifiter on the United States brig,
the Wasp, and was burled at sea.
He
The sesqulcentennial of Pulaski's death was
the occasion for a nation-wide observance on
Octobef 11, 1929, when commemorative services
held In many places throughout the coun
try and a tall shaft, honoring the Polish hero,
was unveiled In Savannah. There was also a spe
cial stamp Issue in honor, of the event. The next
resolution was Introduced Into congress
were
rear a
to make October 11 of each year "Pulaski -Me
morial (lay" and In 1931 this resolution was
parsed and President Hoover Issued a proclama
tion calling fob Its observance.
i (0 by Worum Niwapapor Union.)
Howe About:
Moth and the Flame
New York Men
Question of Truth
By ED HOWE
A NYONE who reads what I write
** will have to stand a good deal
of repetition, so 1 ask Indulgence for
saying again that old maxims have
significance as representing the best
wisdom there la. Another virtue In
maxims U they are always well and
simply written.
A very old one tells of the disposi
tion of a moth to hover around a can
dle, and get Its wings singed. There
was once a man named Henry Holt
who had high Intellectual equip
ment, and as much education as the
best universities, and long association
with the best people, could supply. He
was a book publisher, with such rare
critical taste that his firm was out
standing. He owned and edited a
quarterly magazine so excellent I have
preserve«] nearly every Issue as an ex
ample of perhaps the beet average
writing ever displayed In a magazine.
He wrote a good many of the articles
himself, and ranked as one of the
best American writers.
Hut In every Issue of Unpopular
Review there was an article (usually
by Mr. Holt himself) about spiritual
ism. This hovering about a dangerous
(lame finally resulted In the failure of
the best printed and best edited maga
zine in our long list, and bad scars
on the reputation of the brilliant edl
tor.
In the use of Ink, pen, type, here
was a master comparable to Napoleon
Bonaparte In the use of guns, powder,
soldiers, but Henry Holt Cotild no more
keep from hovering around the flame
of his most dangerous candle than
Napoleon Bona [«rte could keep away
from Moscow In the early winter of
1812.
*
A long time ago a New York man
called on me, and requested that 1 In
troduce him to William Jennings
Bryan. A few minutes after the men
met, the New Yorker said something
that Infuriated Mr. Bryan, and he dis
played a rage 1 did not know was in
him. The encounter took place In the
Bryan home In Miami, Fla. Before I
was out of bed next morning, Mr. Bry
an telephoned, and apologized for so
completely losing his temper. His ex
planation was that all New York men
Infuriated him, they so generally be
lieved themselves superior to others,
because of their residence in the big
town.
I understand that the depression
has greatly chastened New Yorkers;
travelers inform me they now display
considerable respect for men from
other sections.
• •
I once published a war story on the
authority of a common soldier of 1862.
At the time I wrote the former pri
vate had become a bank president,
and an exceptionally Intelligent and
reliable man. The general In command
denied the authenticity of the Inci
dent outlined by the private, who, In
his defense, said he witnessed It with
his own eyes, heard with his own
ears the conversation reported, and In
person participated In the charge de
scribed. Was not the evidence of this
witness worthy of consideration? . . .
In describing a famous ancient battle,
a leader reported that a river left Its.
bed. and charged up-hill after a regi
ment of retreating soldiers. Had a
hundred reliable common men partici
pating In the same action declared no
such marvel occurred, I believe the tes
timony of the majority should have
been considered with that of the lead
er who wrote a book.
Spartans practiced health, efficiency,
that they might become good soldiers;
history tells some terrible cases of
butchery practiced by them. N
The Pennsylvania Dutch practice
good habits that they may become
good citizens, and thus avoid war, pov
erty, drunkenness. Idleness, and other
of the extravagances of civilization.
In the upper middle class In the
United States there are millions of
I admire more than any Spar
In cultivating good habits, the
men
tan.
Spartans made too much of bravery
exhibited In fighting. The Pennsyl
vania Dutch, and other citizens suc
cessful above the average, are not
fanatical about any one thing, but try
for n reasonable average In all good
as
habits.
Do you recall how the American
people were forced to advance the
loaned to foreigners during the
World war, and which the foreigners
Impudently refuse to pay back?
money
now
In hundreds of communities the news
papers printed dally lists of those cltl
who were slow In producing
to be loaned abroad ; the Amer
zens
money
loan who refused to make a loan to his
foreign brother was everywhere de
nounced by the rabble, and publicly In
suited.
Wise men have fooled me so fre
quently In the past I have grown sus
picious of them. Still, I try
suspicion so far as to miss a
not to
carry
warning of value when offered tree,
occasionally happens. I have great
respect for old maxims. One was writ
long ago about a shepherd, who.
being employed to guard sheep, often
cried "wolf' when there was no wolf.
The master was thus lulled tn*o such
carelessness that when a wolf finally
no attention to
as
ten
appeared, he gave
rnlng he had paid to get early news
of.
»WNU Servie*
1131. Bell syndical».
As Child Philosopher
Saw Presence of God
Recently a friend was telling a
group of small boys about God and
his alineas and nearness, pointing out
to them that there la no place wber«
God Is not She paused for a mo
ment and one of them asked abrupt
ly: "Well, Is God in the Jails?"
Somewhat puzzled for an immedi
ate answer within the radius of the
understanding of the boys, she used
a teacher's protective device and put
the question back to the class. None
of them had an answer with the ex
ception of the smallest, and he said
quite condescendingly, "God's In th*
jails, but those birds Inside dont
know R."
I wish I had got him to write this
article for me. I suggest that that
young philosopher knew that If God
Isn't everywhere, he isn't anywhere.
—Mary Plckford In the Forum and
Century,
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two later. Nor will a mild liquid
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The right liquid laxative brings a
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The wrong cathartic may keep
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on using ill And the habitual use of
irritating salts, or of powerful drugs
in the highly concentrated form of
pills and tablets may prove injurious
A week with a propcrlyjprepared
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* Syrup Pepsin will tell you a lot. A
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Dr. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin is an
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