I read with interest Professor Kotarba's theorizing about Polish American identity (SR, XVI/3, September 1996). If I understand Kotarba correctly, he says that NBC White House correspondent, Jim Miklaszewski, represents that identity well. But the only Polish characteristic which Kotarba sees in Miklaszewski is his Polish name. I rather think that there is more to Polish American identity than preserving an ethnic name. There is a rich Polish and Polish American history out of which Polish identity has been fashioned, many heroes to be proud of, much suffering to remember and to honor. There are Polish and Polish American interests which need to be defended, sometimes at some cost to the defenders. This is the price of self-respect which virtually all of America's minorities have been willing to pay. While I agree that Jim Miklaszewski is an excellent American, I do not know his Polish side at all. I doubt that Professor Kotarba does either. It might have been better if Professor Kotarba chose as his model a Polish American person who, while being an excellent American, has identified with Polish culture and defended Polish interests.
Iwo C. Pogonowski, Blacksburg, Virginia
Iwo C. Pogonowski is the author of Poland: A Historical Atlas [1987] and Jews in Poland: A Documentary History [1993]. His forthcoming Polish-English and English-Polish Dictionary enlarges and updates all Polish-English dictionaries in existence.

A recent Sarmatian Review Index (SR, XVI/3, September 1996) came in handy. Of particular interest to me were figures indicating the number of foreign visitors to Poland, the number of foreign cars entering Poland, automobile sales in 1995, and projected sales for 1996. I have used this information in the PRE-DEPLOYMENT ORIENTATION FOR POLAND for two executives of a major American oil company who will supervise the construction of new gas stations in Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria. The timing was just perfect, and it worked toward strengthening the case for the multi-million dollar projects in east central and south central Europe.
Stanislaw Garczynski, Houston, Texas
The writer is a former President of the Houston Chapter of the Polish American Congress.

Thank you for the last issue (SR, XVI/3, September 1996). I always enjoy this unique publication!
Jo Baker, Largo, Florida