The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-05-02
| Cover the World
BY WILLIAM PHILIP sINIMs

WASHINGTON May 2.-Tne specter Of dis
w memberment-the fear Of again being
torn asunder by stronger neighbors-les behind
the new Polish state. born only the other day,
which is in many ways the most remarkable IN
Europe.
Afraid of Soviet Russia, afraid of Germany
and afraid Of the most complex cltlzenry make
I'D of any nation on the continent. Poland has
become an "elitarist' state, government OF the
countrys elite.
This does not mean government by the arls-
tocracv. labor. capital the ntelligentsia or any
other one class, but by the pick Of all the
classes The first Senate Of the new regime will
be elected by citizens who wear the cross OF in
dependence-those who helped set Poland free.
The new system is neither Fascist, Nazi So
cialist nor a copy Of any of the other Twentieth
Century governments But it has some of them
all It is a republic, a democracy and die
tatorship in one.
The new constitution makes the President
the supreme authority He appoints and dis
misses the premier, chief justice Of the Supreme
Court, the inspector general and commander
in-chief Of the Army
He can virtually name his own successor. He
appoints one third Of the Senate. He can dis
solve parliament, including the Sem dover
house,. He decides the use Of the armed forces
for the defense of the state.
TN time of war he can rule by decree, prolong
the terms of parliament until three months
after peace is declared, and open, close or post
pone sessions of the national legislature as he
may deem such action essential to the national
defense.
His term of Office is seven years. The Sen
ate's term IS for six and the Sejms five In case
Of war, the president automatically remains in
office until the conclusion of peace.
Poland occupies one of the most difficult
spots, geographically and politically, in all
Europe. She is SandWched in between the con-
tlnentS two strongest powers, Russia and Ger
many Both desire her as al ally Yet she is
afraid to join either, If war broke out she
would inevitably become the battle-ground After
peace was declared, she is far from certain that
the victor would pack up and go home. She
fears the victor would remain, no matter
which Won
Politically, Poland is made up of the worlds
proudest indiyidualists. In the heyday of her
glory, her domain stretched from the Baltic to
the Black Sea- But so diverse were her people
and so different their cultures that unity was
lost, and with it eventually her nationhood. For
$50 years the name Poland was erased from
the map.
nURING seven generations the Polish people
- lived partly under Russian domination,
partly under Prussia and party under Austria
the three partioning powers. And seven genera
tons under vastly different types of government
and customs did not make reconstructed Poland
any easier to manage
The dictatorial powers just given the Polish
president are largely designed to facilitate the
work Of national unity deemed essential under
the increasingly volcanic conditions now pre-
valling around the globe.
PRESIDENT Ignatz Moscich is present head
OF Ihe Polish republic He signed the new con-
Stltutlon Whether he will remain in Office
ne still has several years to serve-or resign in
FAVOR OF Marshal Joseph Pilsudski national hero
ana power behind the throne, remains to be
seen. W w
GleaC Bfltaln, France, Italy and Russia are
seeking Polands signature to an Eastern, -
carno safeguarding the peace of that part of
Ilie continent Germany is watching. Poland
WlSheS to remain friendly to both sides. She
Is now seen as Tightening the national discipline
course. -- 044000ii