Moscow, of course, attracts the largest number of
these unfortunates. Some particular instinctive faith draws the Poles to
Moscow, to the centre of popular Russia. To my query why she had chosen
Moscow among all Russian cities, a poor Polish woman, the wife of a
reservist, said:
"I was sent here by the military chief. 'Go to Moscow,' said he. 'You
won't perish there.'"
And indeed in Moscow the Polish exiles have not perished. They have
found here brotherly love, shelter, and food. The municipality of
Moscow, numerous philanthropists, both Polish and Russian, are rendering
them assistance.
It is needless to describe the impression made upon the Poles by this
attitude of the people of Russia. A prominent municipal worker of the
City of Kalisz, with tears in his eyes, told me: "Up to the present
moment Poland has been segregated from Russia by a wall of officialdom
erected by the Germans; now for the first time this wall has been broken
down, two peoples are seeing each other and feeling each other."
A tremendous process of mutual understanding has begun before our eyes!
It has barely begun as yet; for what has been accomplished by Russia for
Poland is but a drop as compared with what still remains to be done. It
is not enough to help the Polish immigrants in our central provinces.
Our help must be carried to the provinces devastated by the German and
Austrian hordes.
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