Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-24
P|LSUDSK| PROVES
MILD AS DICTATOR
Asserts His Power Only When
Polish Countrymen Take
Wrong Road.
Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago

| Correspondence OF The Star and the Chicago
Daily News Copyright, 1927.
| WARSAW, Poland, December 20
| in Poland is something of a puzzle to
those who expect a dictator to be on
one model-the model OF Mussoliri.
Pnsudski was the greatest figure in
Polish political life before Mussolini
had made a name for himself and 1t
Is clear that though similar circum.
stances In Poland and Italy caused
the two men to seize power, their
ideas are very different.
Both wish to suppress party selfish
ness, which was opening the way e
communism and national ruin. Pill
sudski does not follow Mussolni in de-
nying altogether the value of democ-
racy and parliaments, nor has he con
centrated all power in his own hands.
though he is in a position which would
enable him tn do II.
FavOrs Free Regime.
Before the war, as a Polish patriot
and a Socialist under Russia. it was
his conviction that right and might
must be yoked together and that VIC
lence must be used against forces mis-
applied. Nowadays he is no longer
a Socialist-but he still favors Il free
regime as soon as ii can be estab-
lished safely, without allowing those
who were running Poland, in his opin-
ion by their party intrigues, to gain
control once more.
He has never spoken against parlia
ment as such, but only denounced the
conduct of many of the present depu-
ties; further, he has always refused to
play the part of absolute dictator,
since he says that Poles are only too
inclined as it is to leave all RESPONSE.
blity to some one else.
He does not even dictate policy ex-
cept in his own military sphere,
though, of course, his opinion, when
expressed, carries overwhelming
weight in the cabinet and gives the
general tone. He reserves the use
of his power until he is convinced
that the wrong road has been taken,
then he does play the part of the die
tator, as was shown in the last days
of September, when he upset Cast
mir Bartel, the prime minister whom
he had nominated in May.
Keeps Open Mind.
on a great many points of policy
he seems indeed to keep an open
mind. He draws ministers from con
sentative, moderate and radical
ranks. and his idea seems to be that
they must formulate a national pol
icy, which he will help them to i'm
plement. In foreign affairs he has
always had decided ideas and is,
above all, opposed to the national
democrat concept that Germany is
Poland's primary enemy, while with
Russia an agreement should be come
to which will enable Poland to refuse
all concessions in the west.
This does not mean, as was at first
feared, that he will conduct a strong
anti-Russian policy. On the contrary
NJ. Zaleski, who has been foreign
minister ever since the coup d'etat
in May has distinguished himself by
his efforts to improve relations with
both Poland's great neighbors.
How intent he and Marshal Pilsud-
ski are on avoiding any unnecessary
disputes was shown by Poland's note
to the soviets with regard to the
treaty signed between Lithuania and
Russia, recognizing Wilma as Lithu-
anian. 1t consisted of a firm state
ment that Poland cannot accept any
tampering with the present situation,
which in Polands views neither
Lithuania nor Russia can alter with
out Poland's consent. The note is
firm and dfgnified, yet 1t is almost
impossible for Russia to reply to 1t,
and is so worded as in no way to
prejudice Russo Polish relations
otherwise than has already been done
by Russia in signing the treaty.
New Policy Awaited.
At present every one is waiting to
see what sort of policy his new
government, including friends of his
from both left and right, Will formu-
late. 1t is felt that it will be inn
possible to allow the present diet to
continue with It's factious opposition,
but that any new diet will proba-
bly, be even more ungovernable than
the present, and will consist OF an
even greater number of ignorant
peasant deputies and communists,
the enemies both of Pilsudski and the
opposition.
Some suggest that Pilsudski will
call a new diet and then after few
weeks declare that a complete die
tatorship is clearly necessary for the
moment in view of the incompetence
of the deputies, and complete the