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Polish= Americans
ELMO SCOTT WATSON
HE issuance by the post office de-
partment of a special five-cent
stamp which will be placed on sale
in Chicago, Detroit and Boston on
October 18 and at other post of-
fices on October 19 serves to re-
call the name of a distinguished
foreigner who, In the words of
Postmaster General Farley, “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 Kosciuszko, the Polish soldier
who is known as “the great champion of liberty,”
and this stamp is 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 roint,
N. Y.; a county in Indiana and streets In sev-
eral of our cities bear his name; but the every-
day use of the commemorative stamp during Oe.
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
ciated with the history of Kosciuszko
S80
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 Continent became a member of
Washington's military family and began the as-
sociation with the great American which enabled
Kosciuszko 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
army,
“Hope for a season bade the world farewell
And Freedom shriek’d as Kosciuszko fell !™
Also significant in the relationship of Washing.
tou and Kosciuszko Is the fact that they were
born In the same month, Washington on Feb.
ruary 11 (old style), 1732, and Kosciuszko on
February 12, 1746. He grew up on his father's
estate, a remote spot In Lithuania. Though of
noble birth, the elder Kosciuszko 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 eollege
in his home town, and in 1704 entered the corps
of cadets In the Royal School of Warsaw,
Later he went to France, where he studied
military engineering, especially French fortifl-
cations. Sketches made by Kosciuszko 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 Kosciuszko 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 a
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
400 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
you 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 he soon proved
what he could de.
From October, 1778, to April, 1777, he was
busy fortifying Philadelphia, continuing the
work which he had undertaken upon his arrival
there before his services had been accepted by
Washingt on. Then he joined Gates’ army in the
North and It was Kosciuszko who selected and
planned the fortification of Bemis Heights, near
Saratoga, and his contribution was a material
one to the success of the operations which led
to the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga,
Shortly afterwards, Kosciuszko planned (he
fortifications on the Hudson at West Point, gen-
erally rated as his greatest achievement In the
War for American Independence. Koscluszko ar.
Kosciuszko Monument in
KOSCIUSZKO Statue
at west Point
rived at West Point in March, 1778, and lald out
additional forts to protect West Point, 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
general satisfaction was there with Kosciuszko'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 1828,
Kosciuszko's next service was In the Carolinas
campaign with General Greene and it is 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 Kosciuszko
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, Ohlo, which
he later sold.
American liberty having been won Kosciuszko
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 1701
Poland, under a new constitution, became a lim-
ited monarchy with ministerial responsibility,
Invidious class distinctions were done away with,
But the new constitution could not stand
against the old confederation. Polish territory
wns a desirable corridor for surrounding powers,
The little Polish army under Kosciuszko and
Prince Joseph Poniantowskl did what it could, For
three months it kept back all invaders, But
King Stanislaus II of Poland, doubtful of sue-
cess, ncceded to the demands of the confedera-
tion, Poland was again parceled out to her neigh.
borg and reduced to enethird her original di.
mensions,
Undismayed, Kosciuszko and his followers
withdrew to Leipsic, There they Inid 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 thelr own proved
disastrous. Kosciuszko, seriously wounded,
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
once more to visit America.
be allowed
After his second visit to America he settled
down In a house near Paris, There he received
many distinguished guests and worked for a
fatheriand he was never to see again. The last
few years of his life with friends
in Solothurn, Switzerland, where he died In 1817.
Closely connected with the month of October
Is the story of another Polish champion of Uib-
erty, a comrade In arms of Kosciuszko, and a
man Americans delight to honor along
with him—Count Casimir Pulaski
Pulask! was born in Podolia, 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 gradualls
gre
out Poland's national life
were spent
whom
Though elected commar
lsh army of Indeg
twenty-two years old
and scored fallure
have made an unsuccessful attem
to ki I
latter's Warsaw palace
mishaps Pulaski was out his estates con-
fiscated and a price set on his head
Pulaski fled for his life to T
way thence to France, a patriot without a coun-
try. In Paris he met Benjamin Franklin,
heard from him the story of America’s struggle
der-in-chief of the Po-
in 1770,
he was defeated In battle
He 1s sald to
t the next year
Poland
As a result of various
awed,
endence when but
after fallure
King Stanislas of
from the
urkey,
fugitive to strike another blow
and Joined Washington's army as a volunteer.
Washington appointed the Pole to a place on the
of retreating Americans, snd so deployed them
eral
classes of men, Including
serters. The count was made
corps of 350 troops, which was known as the
ried the Pritish and won new fame,
grew tired of holding so small a command. There
to Europe.
energies, The southern summer's
heat and the steaming,
the Pole's health, He fell seriously {Il with ma-
the British until another lliness laid him low.
His health wrecked, he fought on,
The Americans were planning. to march against
the English forces that held Savannah, Ga. Pul-
askl, acting as advance guard, fell ‘upon the un.
prepared enemy, captured some of their outer
fortifications and opened the road for communi-
eation between the patriots and the reinforcing
French fleet,
The Americans then laid regular siege to Sa.
vannah., Pulaski was ma 'e leader of both the
American and the French cavalry and led an
assault on the British lines on October 8, 1770,
during which he was mortally wounded, He
died two days later on the United States brig,
the Wasp, and was buried at sea,
The sesquicentennial of Pulaski's death was
the occasion for a nation-wide observance on
October 11, 1020, when commemorative services
were 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:
clal stamp lesue in honor of the event. The next
year a resolution was introduced Into congress
to make October 11 of each year “Pulaski Me-
morial day” and in 1081 this resolution was
passed and President Hoover Issued a proclama-
tion ealling for its observance,
(© by Western Newspaper Union)
COWARDLY SUBTERFUGE
“Your parrot uses some of the
worst language | ever listened to”
“Yes. | had a quarrel with a man
and there are a few things 1 think
ought to be said to him. When the
parrot learns a little more I'm going
to send the bird around to him as ap
anonymous gift.”
His Status
Pretty Patient
yesterday, doctor,
Doctor
guesser,
Patient too modest, 1}
heard another docior say
the best guesser in the profession, —
Pathfinder Magazine,
~L: eR
Oh, you're
you
Still More Improvement
“Gassowny's speeches have Im
proved a lot since he got
else to write them for him.”
“Yes, and they'd 5 in
more if he co
to deliver them fo
somebody
omebody else
She Could Testify
Neighbor—Your husband
me as being a n rare gi
Wife— You’
He hasn't n
since we were mar:
{
Would Suit Her
Car Salesman-—Yes, sir, this car is
absolutely the very last word
Customer—QGood! I'll take it. My
wife loves the last word.
STARTED TROUBLE
“Bo you and those neighbors are
not on speaking terms any longer?”
“No, All diplomatic relations have
been suspended.”
“How did that come about?"
“He sent me a box of axle grease
and told me to use some of it on my
lawn-mower when 1 started it at six
in the morning”
“Well? What then?”
“Then 1 sent it back and told him
to use some of it on his daughter's
voice when she sings at 11 o'clock at
night.”
Lucky to Get Six
Bald the Teacher: “1 give you 18
chocolates to share i with
your little brother. ny will
he get?
equ
How
“Six,” sald Bobby,
“Nonsense! You can't count.”
“Yes, I can, teacher, but my broth
er can't”
NO DEPRESSION FOR HIM
Coavention Ground
he—This is an !
He—1It must be, Fifty
sls can't be wrong.
Matter of Fact
Boob — Everytl r #
| goes to the buyer
Simp-—No.
j coal, go to the cellar.
Some
—
Catching Up With Nature
Teacher—-Why did Joshua
mand the sun to stand sti?
Tommy] guess it didn't
Com
agree
This Civilized Time
{ The popular color scheme
hair, orang
| painted lips
nails. —Florids
©
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