Activities
Originally, the League was a public body, with limited membership. Soon afterwards, it was taken over by the government and became a tool of its propaganda. In 1933, Prince Janusz Radziwiłł, member of the Polish Parliament, declared that if Germany was to get back its former colonies - a demand advanced at the time by such German bodies as the Reichskolonialbund - Poland should receive a share proportionate to its succession to the former German Empire.
Furthermore, some Polish politicians argued that the debt, which the world owed to Poland from saving Europe from communist invasion, should be paid off with colonies.
Throughout the 1930s, the League organized mass demonstration, collected money and published materials. Among people who participated in demonstrations were clergymen and members of the government, whose party, Camp of National Unity (Oboz Zjednoczenia Narodowego), accepted colonial aspirations.
In the summer of 1937, Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs prepared a document called "Colonial Theses of Poland", and in September of the same year, Poland officially demanded colonies, during the session of the League of Nations.
Polish demands, however, were ignored by the Western Powers, as neither France, nor Great Britain wanted to relinquish their possessions. Furthermore, Polish government advanced its demands even well into 1939, on the eve of Polish September Campaign. However, Poland never considered possibility of armed capture of overseas lands, counting on a customs union with smaller and less important colonial powers, such as Belgium and Portugal
Some historians argue that the Warsaw government promoted colonialism to solve the problem of chronic overpopulation and unemployment of some areas of the country. Also, the Poles expressed a desire for raw materials like minerals and timber, especially those found in Liberia.
Apart from colonies, activities of members of the League were concentrated on development of Polish Navy. In early 1930s the League started a special fund, which within 2 years collected 5.000.000 zlotys. The money was handed to the Government of the Polish Republic for the purpose of possibly fast construction of a submarine for the Polish Navy. Thus, the legendary ORP Orzeł was funded.
Read more about this topic: Maritime And Colonial League
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