PADEREWSKI.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3481, 8 May 1920, Page 6

PADEREWSKI.

(By E. R. Peacock, in-the Sydney Sun.) '

PATRIOTIC ROLE.

HIS COUNTR-Y ’S FUTURE.

“How glad I am to welcome you from Australia in my own country!” was the cordial greeting I received from Jan Ignace P-arerewski, when I called upon him a. few days ago. “Austl':lliu,” he continued, ‘has made a nlost amazing effort in the War; greater in proportion than any other country in the xvorlll. Her military efiort and achievements were equalled only by the generosity of her civil population in contribution of money ‘and conlfol'ts. Poland appreciates all this to the utmost, because I*‘,ol-a.nd has perhaps benefited more than £uly‘other people. We h'a.ve recovered our. nationa! freedom.”

Reference was made to M. Paderewski’s own work at Prime Minister for Foreign Afl':'airs, and Chief Delegate to the Peace Conference during the time of such Vital inupoftance to Poland.

“Yes,” he said, “it has been a very strenuous time—five and a-half years of very hard’ work since the war began, and the last year seventeen hours =3. day, much of it in railway tmins travelling back and fro through Europe, between Paris and Warsaw.” “And such a contrast to your past life as an artist,” I ventuféd to suggest. "Not so great as some suppose. because, although I love my art, it Was ‘always secondary in my life. I loved Poland more. My art has served my life purpose and one aim wonderfully jvell. It has enabled me to make many. friends and connections all over the world, and in -the most. influential circles, so that. when the opportunity came these Were willing to help me in 3 Poland’s cause. Yes, my art has beeul secondary, but it has served its pur-: pose well——better, perhaps, than any] other means could. "I don’t, suppose I shall ever follow it again. I have not.’ been able to touch an instrument!

scarcely for years now.” “And what of the future, both of yourself and Poland?” “Oh! my life is wrapped up in PO- - Both lladzime Paderewski and myself are exhausted, and we are going to Switzerland for a few Weeks to recuperate, and then we shah return to take up our work again. Of Poland vsie are .=_'ure, but she has anxious times ahead. ‘

B.~\.CKED THE WRONG HORSE. “Poland is the guardian and custodian of the peace of Europe. At present it is Poland which is the only barrier between BolShC‘.'iSlll and Europe, and neither \Vesl‘ei-n Europe nor Great Britain realise the tremendous task which we have on‘ hand. The Entente has been backing the Wrong ‘horse in supporting Koltchak and Deniken. Notv is seen the disaster which has followedithis mistake, and more than 500 locomotives, Is.Ooo new cars, and enormous supplies of gunt and munitions of War have all fallen into the hangls of the Bolsheviks, while Poland is holding the real front, so far successfully, without any adequate support. Europe does not realise the danger and how far -Russia hasfallen back into barbarism. ‘

“City trade and commerce generally has ceased; that means civilisation has broken down.- A goose costs 1600 roubles; children can be "stolen———anc'l they’ both serve‘the same purpose. It it not possible to ,exeggerate the reports we are continually receiving from Russia. Ultimately we believe -.Bol_shevism will die, but the end is not yet in siglit.~"Poland needs help to fight the common enemy of civilisation. HIS GREATEST WORK. ‘M. P{ld(‘l"3WSlii was surrounded with all the chal'actel'istics of the artist. His picturesque personalityj, dress, movements, and gesttiires, the rich furniture, decoratiorvls, flowerrs, ltributes, contributed to make :1 strong contrast to the conventional statesman, or man of affairs, yet there is no doubt he is the man for the time, and rendered Poland :1 service which no other man could have equalled,

He must have worked hard for year's to have perfected his mastery in art, and Won the distinctions, aehievenients, and ovations of the \\'ol'ld at large, but. it has been left for his Iziter years,_, after equally hard work in another? sphere, to have crowned all his prc-.vi—i ous records fvith :1 success conlp:lre<l with which the ovations of vast crowds sink back into comparative commonplace in his own estimation. It came on his fifty-ninth birth-day, .\V‘:§.fter his arduous labours in Paris,,_ I. when he returned with the. document; in his pocket from the Peace Con» ference, which again established 130--land after 150 years of subjection, and partition, as :1 new, united, free, and independent nation. - . KOSCIUSKO’S VOICE. > He appeared before the Diet in Warsaw, and; placing the fruits of - his . fllubourii on (tire; table of the Chamber, ‘ flielivered ha speech‘ which" all. ‘the

genius of the artist, enthusiasm of the free; and loyalty of the patriot and oratory of the statesman, were combined in a. degree xarely equalled, never excelled.

“It is necessary now to rejoice,” he declared. “Poland lives! Poland lives! \Vhat if the Bolsheviks are on our cast, and the Germans threaten us in the went? Whzft‘ if we have food troubles, or C_yoxl if the scourge of fell disease stalks through our land? Ppla.nd lives! And this is the work of the Peace Conference.”

And so he went on, ringing the changes on the thenie. Rushing back over her glorious historic past, depicting her hours of darlmess, suffering almost despair, paying tribute to those who through all had devoted themselves under persecution to the task of regaining her libjrty, and painting in rosy colours of hope and confidence her destined great, glorious, and responsible future. The climax_ came when the Diet rose, as one man, ratified the Treaty and set up the seal of uutioxml approvzzl on the accomplishment of Padcl'ow-ski’s work. '