Evening star., 1939-07-09


With PllsudSki to perpetuate his policies,
particularly in regard to the expansion
of armed forces. Today, four years after
the marshals death. Poland is estimated
to have available for immediate service
100000 men between the regular army
and the trained reserves.
Gen. Rydz-Smigly was born Edward
| Rdyz in 1886 in the LWow district of
Austrian Poland. Graduated from high
school, he went to Cracow, aspiring to a
gree in philology.
Meeting Pilsudski at Cracow turned
him from art into military career, for
he soon became filled with the passion
to strive for Polands independence, and
| he joined Pllsudskis Polish Riflemen.
1t was during this period of military
/ training shortly before the war that he
acquired the nickname "Smigly ly-nimble
which he soon adopted.
Rydz-Smigly commanded a battalion
Of the Polish Legion on the Austrian
side of the war and became one of
Pllsudski's trusted Eeutenants Pilsudski
was imprisoned at Madgeburg in 1917,
and the torch of Polish independence fell
TO Rydz-Smigly. who preserved the mill
tary organization until the end of the
war, when Pilsudski was released and re-
sumed charge.
After the war. as commander of the
1St Division of the leglons, Rdyz-Smlgly
fought in the Wilma campaign and led
the expulsion of the Bolshevik forces
from Latvia, He took Kiev and later had
leading part in the defeat of the
Bolshevik forces.
Rescued Pilsudski From Defeat.
1t was Rydz-Smigly who brought the
Polish Army to Warsaw in 1926 in time
to turn Pilsudski's waning fight against
the Wojciechowski government into vic
tory, thus establishing the Pilsudski
regime, which lasted for nine years
Rydz-Smigly combines great proficien-
cy in the military art with a love for
painting and literature established in his
youth. He is fond particularly of the
Renaissance period and French painting
Napoleon is his military idol, and he is
a recognized authority on the French
Emperor's life
Rydz-Smigly's tastes are simple, and
he nurtures no social aspirations. Nor
does he seek conspicuous position in
public affairs, desiring to play his i'm
portant role in Polish affairs behind the
scenes.
More in the world news as it unfolds
in the great Eastern European drama
is Poland's foreign minister the junior
triumvir, who generals the first line of
I defense-diplomacy Whether Poland
ultimately has to fight Germany depends
largely upon Col Beck's abilities as
diplomatic strategist
At As Beck has served seven years as
foreign minister with outstanding diplo-
matte victories to his credit. Like Rydz-
Smigly's, his career began with Pilsud-
skis Polish Legions in 1914 He worked
closely with Rydz-Smigly in the later
phases of the war marshaling the Poles
of Germany Austria and Russia into
a single army, task which carried him
to Russia, where for a while he headed
a Bolshevis regiment and assisted Polish
officers in Russia to escape. He fled from
Russia one jump ahead of the Cheka.
Back in Poland as soon as it's inde-
pendence was declared, Beck became
Pilsudski's personal aide, but left the
army in 1923 when the anti-Pilsudskists
came to power, and went into business
until he was recalled by Pilsudski in
1926 to be his chef de cabinet" post
which he held until 1890 He entered
the cabinet in that year as minister
without portfolio and shortly thereafter
macy as undersecretary of state for for
eign affairs under August Zaleski as
foreign minister.
Little Diplomatic Training.
When zaleski resigned in 1882 as Pill
sudski's policy of rapprochement with
Russia and Germany began to get under
way, Beck was chosen to succeed him.
Up to this time his only diplomatic
training or experience had been two
years under zaleski, but the young
statesman was fortunate in having Pill
sudski's confidence, and the marshal
role he is being called on to play today.
The first big act in which Beck par
ticipated was the Polish-Soviet non-ag-
gression pact of 1882. Much of the work
of the Polish-Soviet pact was done by
Beck as foreign undersecretary.
Beck's advent into the foreign ministry
was symptomatic of radical change in
Polands foreign policy change brought
about by Pilsudski's resignation to facing
strong Germany and determination to
make friends with it. Beck's sympathies
had never been too friendly toward
France, and being realist he saw in the
resurgent Reich power which had to
be reckoned with. Thus he was the man
p carry out the marshal's rappt tchement