HAVEN IN AMERICA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 255, 25 September 1940, Page 7

HAVEN IN AMERICA.

PADEREWSKI FORSAKES EUROPE

(Rec. 10.20 a.m.) ZURICH, Sept. 24. M. Ignace Paderewski, the lamous Polish pianist and lormer Premier—he resigned in 1919 —is leaving for America and is selling his villa at Lake Geneva. He is not likely to, return to Europe.

M. Paderewski who was born in November, 1360, abandoned his musical career soon after the outbreak of the last war and devoted himself to the cause of his country. In 1915 he went to the United States to co-ordinate the work of the 4,000,000 Poles there, who 'had formed a central committee for assistance to Polish war victims. For nearly four years he stayed in America, giving concerts and making speeches to raise funds and enlist public opinion on behalf of Poland. He secured enormous .sums and created a strong pro-Polish movement. In 1917 he induced the Washington Government to found a training school for Polish officers and did much recruiting. Then with British aid he persuaded the Canadian Government to give a site for a vast Polish training camp. When victory 'had been won, SI. Paderewski went to London in December, 1918, and proceeded in a British cruiser to Poland, where he had a great welcome. After difficult negotiations, during which an attempt was made on his life, he formed a Coalition Cabinet, in which he was Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. He secured the recognition of Poland by the Powers, brought about the foundation of an army and represented his country at the Paris Peace Conference. Later he found it impossible to make national union a reality or to conclude peace ■wit'll Russia owing to the opposition of the military party. He, therefore, resigned, the Prime Ministership in November, 1919. His name was proposed for the Presidency of the Republic, but he declined it.

At the Ambassadors’ Conference and before the League M. Paderewski championed the interests of Poland. But, while dealing with the Danzig ouestion and the relations between Poland and Lithuania, he realised that a section of Polish opinion was 'hostile to him and abandoned his political career in February. 1921, retiring for a time to his Californian, estate. In 1922 he returned to the concert platform.