Evening star., 1926-11-02

"Important if true might be the
Characterization Of recent news from
Poland to the effect that Gen. III
sudski is conspiring to seize the KING
shin of that republic, under the title
of "Pilsudsli Augustus L." The whole
story is viewed with more than skep-
ticism bv informed officials of the
United States. They declare 1t is
canard. based on the fact that Gen,
Pilsudski former dictator of Poland)
recently lunrhed with some .ot the
leading royalists, and, as alleged, dls-
cussed governmental policies.
Against the significance of that
lunch is banked the entire socialistic
and patriotic record of Pllsudskl'
whose life has been In opposition 10
kingly power, and filled with deVo,
ton to democracy and the detense OF
the people against the classes. lie
served five years in exile in Siberia
because the Russian Car thought his
"pernicious activity" was opposed TO
the privileged Classes-When Russia
held her part Of partitioned Poland.
When the World War came Gen.
Pilsudski was in command or the
Patriotic Legion, which he had recruit
ed. 10000 strong, and, Poland being
then partly under the power OF Ger
MANY and partly under Austria, it was
ordered that the legion should take
the oath of feaity to its conquerors,
the central powers. PilsudsN de
manded that the powers give recognl-
ton of Polish independence, as con
dition precedent to that oath, and
when that was refused he resigned
his commission and was arrested and
imprisoned by the Germans. When
the German revolution dethrOned the
Kaiser. Pilsudski was released; he re-
turned to Poland and became its
dictator.
Last Spring he was elected Presi-
dent, but refused the office. on the
ground that, under the constitution,
it gave no power to its incumbent to
control the destinies of the country;
the position Of President is that OF a
fgurehead, while only the cabinet. or
particularly the premier, holds lnltia'
tive power. Pilsudski is a man OF ac-
tion--a soldier, primarily, rather than
statesman.
The story of his aiming at the over
throw of the republic for whose crea.
tion he has suffered so much and
fought so bravely is likened to the
idea that our own John Brown, the
forerunner of our Civil War, was plot
ting to enlist all the slaves to over
turn the Government and make him
emperor of America.
Il x 4 4
More plausible appears the national.
istic, or even jingo, idea that Marshal
Pilsl1dski, as minister of war and
therefore, head of all armed force,
hopes to lead the army in a war of
expansion of Poland, which would alb
sorb Lithuania on the north and part
of Ukrainia on the south. That has
been openly predicted as his program.
Before his acceptance OF the office
of minister of war under Premier Bar
tel last June, he demanded clear and
unequivocal Interpretation of the con
stitutiOn, as to whether the minister
of war alone would command al!
forces, or must divide that command
with political meddlers. He stated
that only with the unrestrained "indi'
yidual command" would he accept, his
authority to be subordinate only to
the power of the President or Of the
premier to remove him. He VOlun-
teered to put his resignation into the
hands of the premier, before taking
over the command, so that Premier
Bartel could accept it at any time. but
so long as he remained in office his
authority must not be questioned.
r X X
Summing up Pilsudskfs status to-
day, after having been dictator two
years before the constitution had been
adopted) and having been elected to
the presidency last Spring, which he
declined, although he had captured
the capital with his army prior to the
| election, and now being head of all