The Washington times., 1917-04-06
PADEREWSKI SEES
LIBERTY IN POLAND
Halls With Joy New Russia's
Offer to Establish lnde-
pendent State.

NEW YORK, Rpril 6.-The offer of
the Russian provisional government to
re-esta blish Poland as an independent
state is, in the opinion OF Ignace Pad
erskI, made in all sincerity. and will be
accepted with joy by the Poles In all
the years the great pianist has been De-
fore the public he and interviewers have
with few exceptions. been strangers; but
1t has long been known that Paderew-
skis great ambition was to see his ma
tive land again free, and so, when the
topic was suggested to him. he spoke
readily.
Il consider that a very momentous
document" he said, referring to the
Russian appeal In fact President
Wilson's recent message to the Senate,
in which he spoke Of the right OF all
nations to work out their own destinies.
and this present Russian appeal const-
tute the most important events in the
history Of Poland since the partition.
How far these two documents are con-
nected. I cannot say. but it is my opinion
that the noble message of President
Wilson may have inspired this appeal
Recalls Tive Events.
'Tn the present instance I should
like to recall two events in the last
century of Polish history. I refer to
Napoleon's creation of the Duchy OF
Warsaw in 1907, and, after the Con-
Eress OF Vienna in 1915, the establish
ment OF the Kingdom of Poland, at
tached, as a constitutional monarchy,
to the Russian empire. On the 9th OF
last November the central poweB pro-
r1afr1ad that NJ the ancient Pol
ish republic as an independent king
dom again, thus far without king or
frontiers. This German action, how
ever, did not respond to the demands
and did not fulfill the hopes of the
Polish people as a nation, because that
action concerned only one part, and
small part at that, of their historical
and geographical territories.
THE message Of President Wilson
made the deepest impression on the
Polish people because 1t was the first
time that the chief OF a great nation
mentioned q united and independent
Poland free nation like the United
States. The recent appeal of the Rus
sian government adopts the same prin-
ciples, and in behalf OF the whole Rus
sian nation offers freedom. and inde-
pendence to all the parts OF the an
ctent Polish republic and not to some
parts, as the document Is enhanced by
the fact that 1t has not been issued by
q general, q commander-in-chief,o or a
sovereign. but II comes as a spontane-
Gus offer OF freedom from a liberated
democracy to an old, and so long op-
pressed, commonwealth"
Some Obstacles.
There are. however. some obstacles
b the consummation of the Russian
plans. Mr.. Paderewski said, and the
chief Of them would be German vic
tory, because Russia is no longer in
possession Of the greater part of her
former Polish territories. There
would be-. too, some difficulty in de-
termining the precise frontiers of the
new republic as there are several
provinces where the Poles, though not
in q distinct majority, are still nu-
merous enough to make the influence
Of their language and culture left.
But" he continued, at Is to be
hoped that the noble spirit of concIlia-
tion and equity which seems to have
dictated the appeal will prevail till
the hnal settlement of all these Ques-
tions." Mr.. PaderewskI pointed out
that the decision of the Russian gov
ern demonstrated that the new Russia
believes in the ability of the Poles to
govern themselves. CONTRARY to some
opinions with which the public during
the last two years has been saturat-
ed" he added
Cites Case of Austria.
Backing his contention that the
Poles possess, in high degree, the abil-
fly to administer government, he cited
the case OF Austria, where, during the
last forty years. two Poles have been
prime ministers, the same number
have been foreign ministers, while
twice that number have served as
ministers Of finance.
I think my countrymen will accept
Russia's offer." said Mr.. Paderewski,
for, unlike the Berlin action, It is
not strategic plan But even IL the
offer is accepted right now. we must
continue to be much concerned about
the fate of Poland in the last stage
OF the war. We have already seen
some retreats. and we know what the
recent retreat in France is How
much suffering Is still in store for
Poland nobody can foresee, but there
is a hope for independence and unity.