THE RISE OF POLAND'S DICTATOR

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 190, 28 August 1937, Page 17

THE RISE OF POLAND'S DICTATOR

Edward S.migly-Rydz, as Successor to Marshal Pilsudski, is Proving Strong Enough to Lead the P eople Without Interfering With Their President

JN A SIMPLE FLAT, in the shadow of tho Belvedere Palace, once the home of Marshal Pilsudski, lives Marshal Edward SmiglyRyd 2, ivrites M. B. Winch in the Christian Science Monitor. Abroad, he has been ealled the Polish Dietator. At home, he is Poland 's "First Hefender,"" and the most-discussed personality in tEe land. But he is not a dietator in the usual sense of the word. Foreed into an eminent position by the will of Marshal Pilsudski with the acquiescence of the Goverument, he has become a leader in spite of liimself. His future role in the Polish State will depend to some extent on the new constitutional "programme" of Colonel Adam Koc which was recently announced. The programme was drawn up at the new Marshal 's request and was intended to provide the Government with a party and Poland with new life blood. Marshal Smigly-Rydz 's rise to power has been rapid. Iu early life" he studied painting and philosophy. Then came the World War. Like many other people who oceupy prominent positions in the Polish Government to-day, he Cought in Pilsudski 's Polish "Legion." This force, which has become almost synonymous with Poland 's fight for freedom, was raised by Pilsudski in former Austrian poland to fight against Russia, long considered by most Poles to be the chief enemy of a resurrected Poland. After the collapse of Eussia in 1917, SmiglyEydz for a short time" played an independent political role at Eublin and- then sank back into the comparative obscurity of the army. Pilsudski, it was said, had been displeased by his subordinate's move, ahd was unlikely to advanee him' to any kigh position. It came as something of a surprise, therefore, when President Ignacy Moscieki, after Pilsudski 'spassing in May, 1935, announced that the Marshal 's last expressed wish had been for the elevation of Smigly-Rydz to the post of Lispeetor General of th'e Forees. This post had previously been held by Pilsudski, and it was obvious that its occupant, who then automatical-v ly became independent of the Cabinet, would at once find himself in a dominating position. FTotliing further was made public at the time, but subsequent events suggest that more was said. On July 16 last, Smigly-Eydz was further. aclvauced'and his position given an official basis. The President ordered that General Rydz-Smigly, as ie was then called, "designated by Marshal Pilsudski as our country 's first defender and the President 's first collaborator, " should henceforth be considered and honoured as the first citizen in the country after the President of the Eep-ublic. "The Prime Mijiister and all ofixcials," he concluded., "are to tsliow him respect and obedxence." On November 11, Smigly-Eydz received the designation of Marc> shal, previously granted only to Foch and Pilsudskk Marshal Smigly-Eydz docs not wxeld power in the manner of a Herr Adolf Hitler or a Signor Benito Mussoliixx, any more than did his prcdecessor, Pilsudski. The late . Marshal was an inspiration to the Government, a guiding hand and, in txme of necessity, an invincible

support. He was always there, a strong figure in the baekground, and when need arose, supported by the army, he , could act. With him in power, the Poles felt'safe, for each one knew that tho indeterminato.diseussion and indeeisiou which had caused the downfall of the State iu the eightesnth ecntury was uo longcr possible. Marsnal Smigly-Eydz 's position, therefore, is but th8 cohtinuance of a tradition. But it is ' a tradition that xvcll serves tho needs of tho tirne. The Poles are endoxved with a strong feeling for independence and it is, no doubt, on a basis of democracy rthat the mass of the people would lpce to seet the country develop But Poland, burdoned in the east and south with a vast heritage of illfteracy, which only. time can efface, and .with Ixttle cxperience "of .freedom for over- 100 years, also feels she is not yet ripe for an independent democratic government. A guidxhg hand is-lstill needed. Moreovgr, Poland is in a particularly dangerous position' ua regards tho future. She- is faccd by two traditional enemiee, Germany and

Eussia, and by two potential ones, Czeehoslovakia and Lithuania. TKe whole of her- long land frontier is devoid of natural defences. Only by becoming strong can she hope to survive. To this end the building up of her military force alone will not suffice. The country, it is felt, mmst be so organised as to become an economic and, as far as possible, a political unity. The army, regarded by the - majority of people ae the bulwark of Poland 's freedom, already enjoys great prestige. In the circumstances no one could be found more suitable for the task to come than the hjghest army leader. Since his appointment as Inspector General, Marshal Smigly-Eydz by refusiug to interfere wxth the President 'a power showed himself as a moderatc, unwilling to try dubious political experiments. In June, 1936, when tho President and Marshal Smigly-Eydz went to Yilna to attend the cclcbrations in honour of Pilsudski, cach made the outward journey in his own train, On the way back, however, the President asked Marshal Smigly-Eydz to accompany him. Since then

Marshal Smigly-Eydz has appeared in many small ways as the President 's supporter. The visit to Warsaw in" August, 1936, of General Marie Gustave Gamelin, " the Fx-ench Chief of Staff, anH th'e return visit of Marriha! Smigly-Evdz xo attend the autumn manoeuvres, wero arranged on. Marshal Smigly-Eydz 's initiative. They resulted in a £30,000.000. armament loan and a happy re-statement of the olfl - Franco-Polish Defensive Alliance. On the surCace this appeared like a radieal change of foreign policy. If was intim'ated that a' victory . had been won over Mr. "Joseph Beck, the powerful Foreign recrelary, who in recent years has apparently sought to safeguard Poland 's security by direet negotiati'on with Germany. Wellinfor'med . circles, how6ver, l jlieve that Mr. • Beck, while realising that peaeeful relatione with Germany are all to the good, has never wavered from a strict mental adherenco to'thp paet with ■' Fraixce. . Since then the Marshal has been in" xetxrement, broken only. by his appearance on November 11 wlxen he received the Marshal 's- ba'ton. The Koc programme, - which. was announced in February, marks the next stage in the upward progress of the Marshal. The catchword of the new Government party which Colonel Koc is building up is " organisation -behind SmiglyEydz." Marshal Smigly-Eydz himself is underetood to be in favour oi holding out a hand of welcome in particular to the Populists. Of th'e three great opposition parties, the National Democrats or Polish National Socialists, the Socialists and the Fopulxsts, the Populists are the most likely to accept. The Populists represent moderate peasant interestlsi. They want satisfactfion for their . political aspirations, and sufficient land to give them a means of subsistence. Unless they are able to obtain these by legal methods there is a seriouS danger that they will be drawn into the arms of the Communists.- A difficulty is created by the exile in Czechoslovakia of their leader, Mr. Vinceut ..Witoa. ^ Mr. Witos,- thrice Prime Minister, was xmprisoned at Brest just before the election of 1930, together with leaders of other opposition parties, on a charge of subversive activities. Before the finai sentence he fled the country. Of the other two parties the National Democrats present the greatest problem, for their nxilitant attitude toward the Jewish problem is one which Marshal Smigly-Eydz could searcely alford* to accept. Yet the National Democrats are undoubtedly growing. in power every day. A forcible dissolution of the parties, such as that which took place in Germany and Italy, is out of the question. In private life Marshal Smigly-Eydz is rarely seen in society. He prefers the intimaey of home life. His flat is the dwelling of a man of taste and learning. Both he and his wife are art collectore and have brought home fine pieces from abroad. He is a sportsman and finds time to rehd history and philosophy, which he studied as a young man. His writings and speeehes show a hbpe and belief in the future.