POLAND FIRM.

WILL FIGHT ALONE.

TO KEEP DANZIG FREE

RATION'S FREEDOM AT STAKE.

iktekview with marshal SMIGLY RYDZ.

(By MAIIY HRATON VORSE.)

WARSAW, .Tulv 21

"Poland has decided to fight for Dnnzif if -he Ims to Hjrlit alone," Marshal Smi-lv Rydz told nip. "If all other met hods of M>ttiinj,' the Danzig problem fail arid Danzig is occupied by the German* Poland will consider that

g cause of war." There will be no re|>etition of Czechoslovakia. here. The Poles will not sit cooling I In'i r hi el« behind closed doors. They will remain masters of their own destiny. The Marshal of Poland has a unique position. There is no other commander-in-chief whose position or prestige is like thut of Marshal Smigly Kydz.*" The marshal is the heart of Poland. He is the inheritor of the g'-eat and idolised PilswUki and his appointed successor. To the simple people of the country the marshal personifies Poland. He is the' core of their army, which guards their liberty and national independence, dearer to them than anything, even life itself.

The marshal ii u£ medium height, (lurk, sunburned and lias brilliant, penetrating eyes. His manners are simple. He uives the appearance of tireless vitality nnrl lias tlie easy bearing of a man who has lived a srreat deal in the open. He is a soldier first and last. He is too occupied with his. work to lead an active social life and his public appearances are few.

Marshal Singly Ttydz received me without ceremony in his simplv furnished study in the headquarters of the General Staff (G.1.5.Z.) and immediately launched into the question of Danzig.

Partition Recalled. "Wn will exhaust all methods of fettling the question of Danzig peacefully, then if Germany persists in her plans for Anschluss Poland will fight, even if she fights aloue and without allies. The whole nation is agreed oil this. The whole nation to the last mail «nd woman is ready to fight for Poland's independence, for when we say we shuil go to war over Danzig we shail be fighting for our independence. Poland does not want a war, but there are things that are worse than war to lis, and otrts is the loss of our freedom." The Marshal took me over to the map which tills the wall of his study. "Danzig is necessary to Poland. Who controls Danzig controls our economic life. Our commerce floods through Danzig and Gdynia. Whoever controls Danzig controls Gdynia. We have only a small outlet to the sea—l4o kilometres. Last year 1(1 million tons of our growing commerce passed through these two porta. The taking of Danzig by the Germans would be an act which recalls to our minds the partition of Poland. "That is why I mobilised four months »go when Hcrr Hitler again made demands for Danzig and the Corridor. Believe me, that mobilisation was no mere demonstration.. At. that time *e wore ready to go to war if necessary.'

Recklata end Calm. No one can spend any time in Poland without realising that this is a united country. Poland m the only country on which the four months' war of nerves has had no effect, although it is the only country directly menaced. Reckless and calm at once, a united Poland bars Germany's way, willing to flglit and die, if need be, for a principle. Here in Poland is again the flame, the uncalculatiiig valour, the cool courage which has sti'rred the pages of history and turned its course to victory against immeasurable odds.

I asked the marshal how much unity mid calmness had been achieved. He replied: "We have the calm of people who have come to a decision, who have made up their minds that they will go to war if they must. And we have come to this conclusion because of our former sufferings. There is not a man of 40 in Poland who does not remember what it meant to have no country. This accounts for unfaltering attitude of all our people from the highest to the lowest.

"Marshal Pilsudski devoted his life to fostering national sentiment and patriotism of the people of his country. He strove to unify Poland. My work for the last four years has been a continuation of his. The unifying of the people and giving to the army a sense of its high mission ns guardian of our liberties. Kvery little boy when he learns to pray also learns that he must be a good soldier so that lie can defend hi* country. This is not militarism but a noble feeling of duty which springs from a knowledge of our precarious geographical situation which demands of •very Pole the highest virtues of citizen and soldier.

What About Ruaaia? "Look at the inap again. Our situation and our history make the idea of the defence of our liberty something vital at all times in the hearts of all Polish people. We have known what it i* to be without freedom and we would rather dies than lose that freedom again. There is no one in Poland who does not believe this."

1 asked the marshal if he would care to say a few words about Poland's military situation. He answered with a little smile:

"Poland's army i« not n« big aa Germany's but it is a pretty good army. But in caee of war every man and every woman of whatever age would be a soldier of Poland." Poland has friendly relations with the neighbouring States. In answer to what form this good understanding might be expected to talfe in case of wac the marshal replied: "This i* not an easy question to answer. The small Baltic countries would probably not wish to expose them- , Hives and would maintain a strict ■•Utrality." "What about Russia?" I asked. "You Mve an economic treaty with her. Could you not '■ expect raw materials from Htosia?" "Wo have a non-agg"ession pact and •tt economic treaty, but counting </! raw ■•teriaU fi' Tn Russia would depend on • Variety of factors. Russia is going to iftt all tile advantages she can for herMlf out of the present situation." Rumania and Hungary. »»ked about Rumania and Hungary, marshal's face lighted. -"Rumania is our ally, our friendship Hungary is historic. I do not begfW »h« would allow German troop* to

attack us over her frontier. I, do not think she would take part in a war against us."

In conclusion I asked: "Has not Jolands stand had a heartening effect on the small countries anxious to preserve their independence?"

We have every reason to think so," inars.ial answered. "We shall in »'iy event, even without allies, fight to ]>iei»erve our own."

So Poland stands a heroic figure afjamst the might of the German war nitLl llo p ii B ? 1 ®niigly Rydz, with a united Poland behind him, may well have saved the peace of the world. Poland, small and poor, has dared what the ?reat democracies feared to do rl'story may well record that Poland's rnav ""l ll ll,storic importance and may mark the turn of the tide *ince ; " !"- v received her first check on her , lentle *s march toward European domination when Poland, through^ier wS'V aid: " We Bha " ««& for (X AX \) We S ° l ° War alon€ -"—