M. PADEREWSKI

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 54, 6 March 1922, Page 3

M. PADEREWSKI

RETURNING TO POLAND

"AT THE SERVICE OF MY COUNTRY."

M. Paderewski is to return to Poland, his native country, whose destines ho guided through tha crucial period following the armistice, when Poland was be-, ginning life again as an independent nation, says a report from Paso Robles, California. ' Padorewski will arrive in the land of hi 3 birth at a moat decisive time, when Poland's first President is to be elected. He says, however, that he does not think he would accept the Presidency if it were offered to- him. . , . . ■„..■ Paderewski denied the > report that he had been recalled to Poland by national loaders to accept a high post. "It is my privilege to serve my country 1," he said, "but the report that I have been called back to Poland is news to me. I have received no oiler of any kind except in a. diplomatio capacity. I have no intention to take part in governmental affairs. I shall return soon, probably within four or five months," he said. "At present I am only on a furlough. When I do return, I will remain there for a length of time. I am at the service of my country and always ready for a oall. Ai yet I have not considered the problem of remaining there permanently or of accepting a government post." ■ If Paderewski does arrive ■. in Poland within four or five months, he will bo present durinjr the Presidential campaign. The Polish Constitution provides for a Parliament, or Diet, consisting of a House and Senate, the members,of which are to be chosen by popular vote. Exeou- | tive power is vested in a President, to be elected for a term of seven years by-a joint assembly of the House and Senate. GoneraJ Joseph" Pilsudski now holds the office of temporary President „ ... ... .' : j In the early days-'of the new 'Poland Paderewski was regarded by his countrymen as the; man most likely to be chosen as the nation's first President. He became the first Premier and was hailed- as -Poland's greatest living patriots* Throngs crowded the streets of cities and sang as he entered the gates. They looked upon him as the one man who could unite the patriotic elements of Poland. In early 1919 oiily two men stood out us likely candidates for the Presidency—Paderewski and. Pilsudski, whose strength lay in his popularity in the army. 'Paderewski resigned in December 1919, and since then Pilsudeki has been Chief of .State. Though he has been absent many months, Paderewski. is still, it' is said, the most popular man in Poland. Thero are. some who oppose him, but they'are cipally Communists; and Socialists.' '■"■' As to participating, more prominently in his country's affairs, he said : —"I am still Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States, and as first delegate -to the League of Nations I have been keeping in touch with Government 1' officials., ,1 still remain in; the diplomatic service, ,*nd I doubt if any other post will bo offered to me. ', -| "I have not been in Poland for a long time, but a great deal has been'accomplished, there in several ways. .-First of. 1 all, the fields, devastated'by the fighting during the war, have been cultivated, and a marked decrease of unused, acerage' 'in ] the areas is evident. The last orops in Poland were exceptionally good, arid, according to information which I have received, there is no need of importing grain. There will even be grain available for exportation to Russia. "A great many factories have been reopened. Our 1 rallwaj system; which suffered frightftiUy-'di/j-ing the: war, has not only been iniproved; _but also' considerably increased,, by. the building of several new lines. A great many new schools hayo been opened, including the universities in Vilno, Bbznon, which was formerly known as Po6eiii ana Lubljn." Regarding • the financial situation in Poland, Paderewski baid: "At present we are in a bad condition because our financial Tystem suffers much •■ more than that of any other country, because, of all the' established States, Poland alone emer-, ged from the Peace Conference without^ definite frontiers. For. over two..-years ana a half, not knowing what was'and what was not hers, Poland could," not establish a normal budget, could"..' not organise a system of taxation, could not live normally;, and even now after two ■venrs and a half of hardships, of struggling with the greatest difficulties,' thero are still territorial problems to be solved by plebescites. We, of *U the nations, had to struggle for cur frontiers." The fight .-for ■ those boundaries, he added, was still in progress. It is not now a physical fight, but an argumentative fight. He went on: "But whether we fight morally or physically, it means the came thing 1. It has introduced excitement and a fighting spirit among our people, and has proved fatal to certain parts of our country."