San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-29
Leader Who Helped to
Establish. Poland's indie
pendence Considered
Great by Some and De-
spicable by Others.
by WILLIAM T.. NASH.
Special Correspondent OF The San Antonio
Light and the Chicago Daily News.

S'Iu iASuuShAs lut Hdihc SuiiiNcs
to arouse millions of Poles to enthus-
iasm or hatred. BY some it is con-
sidered the greaest name in Poland,
by others the most despicable.
For thirty years, through every
form of adversely. Pilsudski planned,
plotted. fought and suffered. for the
realization of an ideal. More adven-
lures few men have lived through.
More proofs OF patriotism few lead
ers have felt compelled TO give.
Two motives stand out as the guild
ing principles of Pisudski's early life,
one his hatred Of Russia and the other
his attachment TO Socialism. Both
have been subordinated. of course, TO
the furtherance of his supreme ideal
the resuscitation of an Independent
Polish nation.
Born on a small estate near Zulov
in Lithuania in 1868. the future chief
of state passed most of his childhood
in straitened circumstances in
wilma. where his parents, who be-
longed TO the gentry of Poland-Lith-
uania-White Ruthenia-had n diff
cult existence, owing TO losses sus-
tanned in the abortive instruction
against Russia in 1868.
Twice in Siberian Prisons.
Events began TO happen rapidly in
the life Of Joseph before he had fin
ished college. Expelled from the Uni
versity of Kharkov in Southern Rus
STA (now the Ilkraine) in 1887. on &C.
count Of Socialist activities. the young
man had scarcely returned home be-
fore he was seized, imprisoned and
banished TO Siberia on suspicion OF
having aided a Nihilist plot against
the car. Back from Siberia in 1So3,
he was suspected of being editor of a
secret newspaper called "Robotnik"
(the Workman, which printed irri-
tating accounts of the national OPP
pressor under the very noses of the
oppressors police. He was condemn
ed TO prison a second time but es-
capped TO Japan at the outbreak OF
the Russo-Japanese war. There, with
the aid of japanese money, he at
tempted unsuccessfully TO stir up re-
volts in the rear of the Russian
armies.
During these years he showed great
interest, both in and out Of prison. in
the organization of secret Polish
fighting force called the Rifle Club or
Sharpshooters' organization. whose
bushes was TO kill Russians.
When the World War broke out
Pilsudski went to Galicia and organ
lied the famous Polish legions as indie
pendent units in the army of Austria
Hungary. 1t was for this that he was
best known in Poland at the dawn OF
independence. As leader of the legions
he performed valuable services for
Poland and for the central empires.
until, suspected of treason against the
Hapsburgs, he was cooped up by Aus
trim authorities in Cracow. AS lead
er of the legions he also formed band
of devoted friends such as Sikorski.
present premier. and Sosnkowski. min.
lister of war. They contributed great
" TO his success later. Incarcerated
by the Germans in the fortress OF Mag
deburg in 1918, he finished the war
with an inside knowledge of many of
the big prisons in Central Europe.
Chief Of the Polish State.
BY spontaneous movement oi the
masses an independent Polish govern
ment was proclaimed in Warsaw No
cember IL, 1918, the day of the arms
tice. Ii chose as its leaders the So
cialist chieftains. Pilsudski and Nor
aczewski. Later this position was
ratified for Pilsudski by the first con-
stituted assembly.
As chief Of state, the ex-rcvolution-
airy found a tremendous task await
ing him. First, without money or IA
cilitles, he had to organize an army,
drive back the Ukrainians from Lem
berg and block the infiltration of Bol-
sheyiks from the east. Second, as a
convinced Socialist, he had to cooper
ate with a conservative tory cabinet
under the leadership of lgnace Padcr-
ewski, then the premier. AS time
went on he had to ieel his way through
a maze of dissension and party strife,
similar in many ways to the political
anarchy that had ruined Poland in the
past
In the spring of 1920 came the Pol
ishr war with Kussia. Cndiuptediy the
march on Kiev, inspired by the chief
of state, was Il strategic mistake. This
error, however, according to his
friends, was largely atoned for at the
battle of the Eistula.
becomes SnleI OI Staii.
Shortly after the battle of the Wis
tula the successful general decorated
himself with the baton and title of
marshal in bombastic ceremony. In
the wilma dispute he is said TO have
played q prominent though secret role.
As n native son of wilma. it is whis-
yercd, he personally planned the Ze-
ligowski raid and directed the opposi-
ton of Poland to the League of Ma
tons plan for the yelled award of that
city to Lithuania. According TO his
detractors. Pilsudsld is more Lithuan-
ian than Polish in character.
In September. 1922. cabinet crisis
brought forward Korfanty, ex-revolu-
tionary, tory and deputy from Upper
Silesia. as candidate for the premier
ship. Convinced that the appearance
OF such a man at the head OF the
cabinet would be misfortune for Po-
land. Pilsudski refused 10 propose the
nomination to the diet. An uproar en-
sued. The crisis lasted six weeks. The
right stuck out for Korfanty. the left
against him. Conservatives claim that
Pilsudski violated the constitution by
his attitude.
Tired and perhaps a little alarmed
BY the party strife centering about
his name. Pilsudski refused 10 present
himself as candidate for president in
the elections of December. 1922. al
though the result OF the bnlloting for
both the Inflated Narutowicz and his
successor. Woijciechowski. tended to
prove that he could have had the Of
flee il he had wanted it. Moreover,
from the Belvedere or palace of the
chief of state he went TO more siren
nous job as chief Of staff. As mill
tnry strategist, IL is said, he believes