860c.4016/77: Telegram

The Minister in Poland (Gibson) to the Acting Secretary of State17

55. Feel I should point out that we may expect disorders with increasing frequency in Poland in the near future. This will largely be from the nervousness of the population due to the following causes:

1.
Shortage of the food supply which will continue for some time.
2.
Uncertainty over determination of frontiers.
3.
Fear of German hostilities.
4.
Great extent of unemployment.

These disorders may as rule be expected to take an anti-Jewish character for the following reasons:

1.
Food hoarding and profiteering by certain elements of the Jews.
2.
Rumored hostile Jewish influence against Poland in England, France and America and anti-Polish agitation in these countries over Jewish matters.
3.
Proposed special treaty for the protection of the rights of minorities which is resented as needlessly imposing on the Polish state conditions most of which would have been adopted without pressure.
4.
Relations of Polish Jews with the Germans.
5.
Inclination of mobs to pillage food shops which are largely in the hands of the Jews.

[Gibson]
  1. Forwarded by the Commission to Negotiate Peace as No. 2510.