Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-16
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
Continued from Page -


for the German cause that must be
disquieting to the Paris government.
PiIsudSki Dies.
Under these circumstances Laval
arrived at Warsaw prepared to solicit
wholehearted Polish endorsement OF
the FrancO-Russian treaty To his
amazement, he was received very
coldly, and he did not succeed I'm
wrestling from the Warsaw govern
ment any definite promises OF any
kind
Access to the strong man OF Poland,
Field Marshal Josef Pilsudskl, was
denied Laval on the ground that the
dictator was ill. AS it had never been
officially admitted that Pilsudski was
not feeling well-although it was a
matter of fairly common knowledge
the first tendency everywhere was to
consider his illness political eX-
pedient designed to keep Laval away
from him.
But hardly had the French states
man left the Polish capital on his
way to Moscow when news came that
Pilsudski had died.
Enemy of Democracy.
Born an aristocrat, PilSudski re-
manned throughout life bitter enemy
of democratic systems of government.
He would not concede that the polish
peoples political intelligence had
been developed sufficiently to warrant
the introduction of popular govern
ment, and he who during his youth
had fought for Polish Independence
and freedom, who had even been de-
ported to Siberia by the imperial gov
eminent of Russia for preaching Po-
lish secession from the domain of the
car, did, after he achieved power.
all he possibly could to circumscribe
political freedom in the country
which was re-established as a result
of the World war, and, to some extent,
as a result of the efforts which Pill
sudski himself and his friends had
made for many years.
Pilsudski craved for himself no re-
splendent rank or title; he was sat
isfied to remain a field marshal and
a minister of war, but although Po-
land is equipped with a president. a
prime minister, foreign minister
and the entire political apparatus
found i'm modern countries, it was the
minister of war who in his hands con-
centrated all governmental power.
One of his last accomplishments con-
sisted in carrying through socalled
revision of the constitution by which
the parliaments authority was re-
duced to almost nothing. He was
elected president once, but refused to
serve, for he found it more satisfying
to be the one who-back-stage-
pulled all the wires. manipulated all
the affairs of state.
Other Conferences.
1t is not thought that Pilsudski's
death will have any direct effect upon
the concluding negotiations concern
ing the Franco-Russian alliance, for
his opinions seem to have been def
initely needed some time ago. Nc
doubt the un-cordial reception with
which Laval met in Warsaw was due
to Pilsudski'S personal orders.
In the meantime, other conferences
more or less, on the central fact OF
Germany awakening to a new con-
seriousness of power.
In Venice Italian, Austrian anC
Hungarian statesmen have met to dis.
cuss mutual assistance pacts, which
IN, inc Oh
military alliances. Hungary was will
ling to sign. provided that she would
be exempted from any obligation tt
fight Germany: also. she would s1gT
treaties with Austria and Italy, bu
not with the countries constituting
the Little Entente Rumania- Czecho
Slovakia and Jugoslavia). So moth
ing important resulted at Venice.
Further Efforts.
A few days later Austrian Chancel
lor Kurt Schuschnigg rushed from
Vienna to Florence for a little tall
with Italian Prime Minister Benit'
Mussolini. He wanted to be assured
once more that Italy would not per
nit any German activities against hi
country, and, since Mussolini has tol'
him on several former occasions tina
he would permit no German aggres
sion against Austria. Schuschnig
craved the comfort of being told ono
more. He was-and then went bac
to the city on the Danube-"highl
satisfied" it is reported.
At about the same time Rumaniar
Turkish, Greek and Jugoslavian diplo
mats met at Bucharest to discus
what is vaguely known as the gen
eral situation. Rumors have it tina
the four Balkan powers agreed to pei
nit Bulgaria and Hungary to rearm-
but ON the condition that these tw
countries sign non-agreSsion and mu
tual assistance treaties with Ru
mania. Turkey. Greece. Jugoslavi
and Czecho-Slovakia-
Whether Bulgaria and Hungary
both disarIned in accordance wit
peace-treaty stipulations will agre
to do this. or whether they prefer
follow the example of Germany in re
arming without permission of the vic