Evening star., 1937-02-23
Another Fascist State?

Sudden developments in Poland herald
the birth of another Fascist state. Hard
ly any other deduction is possible from
the official announcement that leaders
now in control at Warsaw plan the crea-
ton of strong Poland led by single
will toward single aim" That is the
doctrine just proclaimed in the name
of Marshal Edward Rydz-Smigly, who
inherited the dictatorial power welded
by the late Marshal PilsudSki. Neither
the Fascist nor the Naz label is for
mally attached to the nationalist move
ment sponsored by him, but to every
intent and purpose it is modelled upon
the authoritarian cult of which Musso-
lini and Hitler are the symbols.
. To sugar-coat the pill which the people
are asked to swallow, the project is
described as being conceived in the name
of unity for the sake of national de-
fense. But Poles are left in no doubt
of the intention to convert their govern
ment into a one-man regime of the
Rome and Berlin pattern, with such
archaic trappings of democracy as po-
litical parties relegated to the scrap
heap. "All vain and demoralizing dis
cussions, all Emergencies of doctrine, all
exaggerated individualism and all po-
litical strife must be forgotten" the
country-is told in a manifesto promul-
gated in Marshal Rydz-Smiglys name.
The most unabashed hint of what is in
store is the assertion that Gin many
other countries all political individual
ism has disappeared and they are now
led by a single will toward common
aims" That seems plain enough warn
ing that the day of expression of the
popular purpose through the ballot and
parliament is on the way out in
Poland, If not already gone.
Further to make the advent of fascism
palatable, reassuring pledges to religious
and racial groups are forthcoming. The
Roman Catholic Church Is guaranteed
the perpetuation of its traditional priv
ileged position Relations with other
creeds will be based on tolerance AL
though acts Of brutal anti-Semitism"
will not be countenanced, there is an
ominous reminder that I'VE must recog-
nize the instinct of legitimate self
defense of our culture and the effort of
the Polish people to attain economic
independence" That is bound to sound
in the ears Of Jews as warning that
they face ostracism, and worse, in edu-
cation. the professions, the arts and
business. Suppression Of communism is
stressed as one of the fundamental OBJ
jectives.
In the industrial and agricultural
fields It is the intention Of the Rydz-
smigly group to regulate production" in
the cardinal interest Of national security
and to institute such reforms" as will
ameliorate unemployment and rural dis
content. Land distribution is one Of the
bats held out to peasants as q bid for
acceptance Of the totalitarian state. The
idea of dictatorial militarism stalks
through the new deal for Poland. Fas-
cist-Nazi influence in its conception is
manifest With Frances victory in
Spain accounted q certainty, this tri-
umph of their theology" in Northeast
ern Europe must fill to overfowing the
cup of qualification from which II Duce
and Der Fuehrer nowadays quaff. De-
mocracy has lost another battle.
HonorS are showered on James Farley,
who is saluted as the postmaster of his
%cka @t.1 -k~sx. 80 III