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5423968_7_0179.xml
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<bibl><title>Dziennik Związkowy</title>,
<date when="1910-12-20">Dec. 20, 1910</date>.
<title level="a">The Matter of the Deficit in the Polish Roman Catholic Union</title><title level="a" type="sub">The Chaplain of the Organization, the Reverend K. Gronkowski, Forwards an Explanation</title></bibl>
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<publisher>The Newberry Library</publisher>
<pubPlace>Chicago, Illinois</pubPlace>
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<note>Transcribed from digital images contributed to the Internet
Archive by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.</note>
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<bibl><title>Dziennik Zwiazkowy</title>,
<date when="1910-12-20">Dec. 20, 1910</date>.
<title level="a">THE MATTER OF THE DEFICIT IN THE POLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC UNION</title><title level="a" type="sub">The Chaplain of the Organization, the Reverend K. Gronkowski, Forwards an Explanation</title></bibl>
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<body>
<p>In this sad matter of the deficit found in the treasury of the Polish Roman Catholic Union the Polish newspaper Dziennik Zwiazkowy, has from the very beginning been strictly impartial. It does, however, request that all communications coming from interested persons be sent to the newspaper, since they are useful and welcome. Let these persons express themselves in the press; let them make reciprical charges, and let them answer these charges. The public will be able to draw its conclusions from this material.</p>
<p>The Dziennik Zwiazkowy, therefore, has already printed the reply of the committee which administrates the affairs of the Polish Roman Catholic Union and a reply to it by the former president of that organization, Mr. L. Szopinski.</p>
<pb facs="5423968_7_0180.jpg" n="2"/>
<p>At the present time this newspaper prints a letter sent by the Reverend K. Gronkowski, chaplain of the Polish Roman Catholic Union, with the request that it be given to the public. The letter is as follows:</p>
<p>Dear Editor,</p>
<p>Because of the malfeasance committed against the Polish Roman Catholic Union, the Polish newspaper, Dziennik Narodowy, has asked me, as chaplain of the organization, to offer some explanation, which I have supplied to a limited extent over the telephone. Because my words have been subjected, in some instances, to a forced interpretation, I therefore, wish to give a more adequate resume of several points relative to this matter.</p>
<p>In the first place, I was not properly understood when it was believed that because of this matter I had attacked the Most Reverend Bishop Paul Rhode. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind relative to the best intentions of the Reverend Bishop. I was only pained that his unblemished name <pb facs="5423968_7_0181.jpg" n="3"/>should be even so slightly involved in so unsavory a matter as it is by his becoming a member of the investigating committee. It is exactly this one thing that I consider as bad policy on the part of the Reverend Father Wojtalewicz, that is, that he wishes to add importance to his own task by obtaining the assistance of the episcopal dignity.</p>
<p>At the same time the idea was very far from my mind of accusing the Reverend Father Wojtalewicz of any type of willful action to the detriment of the Polish Roman Catholic Union. I cherish the firm conviction that the Reverend Father Wojtalewicz desires the welfare of the institution, and that he would not lend a hand to evil. I have, however, also acquired the conviction that he allows himself to be moved too often by personal sympathies and antipathies. By so doing he not only fails to maintain prudence and impartiality, but what is worse, by the power of suggestion he infects others with his personal prejudices. Behavior of that type naturally prevents a fair and calm consideration of the matter.</p>
<pb facs="5423968_7_0182.jpg" n="4"/>
<p>As for me, there is not the slightest reason to suspect that I, as chaplain of the Union, could have in mind, at a time so depressing, "some proteges whom I might wish to surround with protective wings". Every one knows and remembers that at several conventions, even at the last convention, I was not sparing in my criticism of the former administration and of Mr. Szopinski, with whom I have never been closely connected through any kind of interest or by any close friendship. In criticizing and attacking, however, I have acted with the purpose of clarifying the matter and promoting the organization's welfare. I have not been influenced by any side issues. In my impartiality I have always demanded to see the proofs of guilt, not mere empty and unintelligible rumors or evil secret gossip. I could never condemn any one on such foundations. Since nothing more than rumors, evil gossip, aspersions, and innuendos have thus far been presented to me against Mr. Szopinski, I can in no way agree to condemn in advance a man who for the last ten years has worked in behalf of the organization and has, undoubtedly, served this cause.</p>
<pb facs="5423968_7_0183.jpg" n="5"/>
<p>The constant charge of profits derived of the printing done by the Polish Roman Catholic Union is also without proper foundation. Certainly, at the time when there were only a few thousand members the prices paid for printing must have been relatively higher than those paid today; in consequence, the saving in printing bills which has been pointed out must be due to the organizations development, its increase in sizes, and it does not indicate [excessive expenditures] in former years.</p>
<p>I have, therefore, been and still am of the opinion that the organ of the Polish Roman Catholic Union should be completely independent as far as the location of the press is concerned. Moreover, it is my contention that it would be better for the organization to pay more for the newspaper than to lose any of this independence; such loss of independence might in the course of time if not immediately, have disagreeable consequences.</p>
<p>It was therefore necessary to endeavor only to lower the prices on printing, and this already has actually been done. The last estimates presented by <pb facs="5423968_7_0184.jpg" n="6"/>Mr. Szopinski were, in my opinion, even below the rate which has gained the approval of the majority.</p>
<p>But then, the matter of printing has nothing whatsoever in common with the matter of Mr. Ostrowski's malfeasance. Any attempt to touch upon the printing question at the present moment is under the circumstances nothing but a subterfuge employed by the guilty party to distract attention from the main question at issue.</p>
<p>At present we are not concerned whether the organization paid too much for its newspaper. The question at issue is how large the defalcation was, and who is responsible and should be held liable for it.</p>
<p>There can be no excuse for Mr. Ostrowski with respect to the defalcation. His statement to the effect that for ten years he did not record the amounts daily received by him of the organization's funds can be considered only as an unusual abuse and transgression on the part of a responsible treasurer.</p>
<pb facs="5423968_7_0185.jpg" n="7"/>
<p>Nor can it be considered any justification for his conduct that other officials of the organization have burned and destroyed some letters. In the first place, this cannot be proved, and secondly, these officials could not have burned the books and checks of the treasurer in which we are now interested. And so the same holds true here as in the already mentioned printing question: one should not try to evade the issue by talking of some burned or destroyed papers. The proper thing to do is to sum up what is lacking, and this summing up should be done by a person who knows how to read and write, not by one who is unable to report in his own handwriting.</p>
<p>It would therefore, be improper to consider me as an enemy of the new administration, particularly of the new treasurer, Mr. J. Czekala, if I maintain that it would be for the good of the organization if the treasury and its accounting were entrusted to some one wiser and more impartial. Then we shall know immediately how much is missing, and of what value the surety is that is given to us by Mr. Ostrowski.</p>
<pb facs="5423968_7_0186.jpg" n="8"/>
<p>The fact remains that the new administration is not really new, since some of the members of it have been on this board for the last several years. This supposedly new administration tries to settle this bemuddled question in its own group, among friends, which I, consider to be a great mistake and a thing very dangerous to the institution. It is improper to have the newly elected president, Mr. Adamkiewicz, preside over the investigating committee which [among other matters] is going to investigate Mr. Adamkiewicz's own activities. The same holds true with respect to Mr. Piotrowski, who was connected with Mr. Ostrowski in several enterprises such as the editing of a well-known daily newspaper in Chicago and in a partnership in selling church goods, he, too, should not be the judge in this matter.</p>
<p>With respect to his informing me about the malfeasance, Mr. Adamkiewicz contradicts himself if he maintains that he informed me of this as early as last February, and that he himself knew of it only after his return from Europe. If he informed me of it in February, it is natural to assume that he also knew of it at that time and that he would have taken the matter under <pb facs="5423968_7_0187.jpg" n="9"/>advice from February on. The only topic of conversation in the month of February was that discussed in the Cleveland convention, in which various ways and means to trap Mr. Szopinski and to discover new abuses committed by him were suggested. All the revisions and all the activities of the experts who were called in have tended toward this one particular goal. There was not even talk of any malfeasances on the part of Mr. Ostrowski. Consequently it may be considered as nothing more than a thoughtless misstatement if any one maintains that Mr. Adamkiewicz had at any time personally informed me of this.</p>
<p>All who know me know that I do not like to jest in money matters. I would sooner resign from the position of chaplain than tolerate or cover up any one's defalcations in the Polish Roman Catholic Union with my own unblemished name, which, thank God, has thus far remained free from attack. I would not do this even if my own brother was involved. It causes me pain that I must be firm in the case of Mr. Ostrowski.</p>
<pb facs="5423968_7_0188.jpg" n="10"/>
<p>Since I was in favor of letting the interest received from the bank on sums deposited be retained by each treasurer, it is clear that at that time I did not have the slightest suspicion of any defalcation. My sole purpose was to give a better remuneration to the official than the ridiculously small sum of four hundred dollars a year. If I had known that the treasurer had already withdrawn the money from the banks illegally, I should never have given a thought to interest on deposits that did not exist. It is therefore clear that there cannot even be a suspicion of my keeping any abuses secret or witholding any information concerning any malfeasance committed by the treasurer.</p>
<p>If Mr. Adamkiewicz maintains that he also was unaware of the existence of any malfeasance, then he most patently is pretending not to understand me. I, as chaplain, could have not known, but he, as president, together with the general-secretary, should have known. He was obligated by the bonding company to see to it that the necessary steps were taken at the time of the treasurer's financial manipulations.</p>
<pb facs="5423968_7_0189.jpg" n="11"/>
<p>The fact that instances of malfeasance are said to have occurred for a considerable period of years does not in the least lessen the responsibility and the guilt of Mr. Adamkiewicz. This responsibility and this guilt are to be shared equally by the entire new administration. It seems that whoever is last in taking care of the treasury is always the guiltiest, and that the former administrations are at fault only in so far as they have knowingly participated in the malfeasances of the treasurer. But this belongs to Mr. Ostrowski's future defense and does not justify Mr. Adamkiewicz or his colleagues.</p>
<p>Being aware of all this, I cannot admit the correctness of the decision to compose the investigating committee of members of the present administration headed by Mr. Adamkiewicz with the co-operation of Mr. Piotrowski. I had and still have the right as chaplain, on the basis of the constitution of the Polish Roman Catholic Union of vetoing this. The reverend assistant-chaplain could take my place in endorsing this decision if I were not present in Chicago. But I was and am in Chicago and still actually remain <pb facs="5423968_7_0190.jpg" n="12"/>the chaplain, even if this fact does interfere with Mr. Adamkiewicz's plans.</p>
<p>Why did Mr. Adamkiewicz consider my signature on certain documents as essentially necessary when, being ill, I was confined to the hospital, and he always knew where to find me?</p>
<p>Moreover, I have the unquestionable right to suspend Mr. Adamkiewicz for his shameful and unworthy personal remarks made against me as chaplain. I have reference here to his impertinant accusation that I have given him advice which [if followed] would have caused loss to the Polish Roman Catholic Union, and that I have refrained from divulging my knowledge of malfeasance and thievery.</p>
<p>But I do not consider this suspension necessary. To judge by the statements made by Mr. Adamkiewicz, every member of the Polish Roman Catholic Union can be convinced that he is attempting to destroy the fundamental principles of <pb facs="5423968_7_0191.jpg" n="13"/>this organization. By his shameful insults directed against the chaplain he hopes to destroy the co-operation of the laymen and the clergy.</p>
<p>But I point out to him publicly that when he signed the report of the investigating committee, he signed it before the Right Reverend Bishop Rhode, who as a prince of the Church, should enjoy the respect even of Mr. Adamkiewicz.</p>
<p>Thanking the honorable editor for making public this article, I wish to remain,</p>
<p>Yours truly,</p>
<p>Reverend K. Gronkowski,</p>
<p>Chaplain of the Polish Roman</p>
<p>Catholic Union.</p>
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