THE H.B. TRIBUNE TUESDAY, MAY 14, 1935 A DICTATOR’S DEATH.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 126, 14 May 1935, Page 6

THE H.B. TRIBUNE TUESDAY, MAY 14, 1935 A DICTATOR’S DEATH.

The unheralded death of Marshal Pilsudski, who had within the last few months been reinstated as a virtual dictator in Poland, threatens to create fresh complications in the already confused state of international relations in Central and Eastern Europe. It was only since the beginning of the year that changes had been made in the Polish Constitution which conferred considerably enlarged authority upon the President and in effect made him to a very considerable extent independent of parliamentary control, and especially with regard to foreign affairs. These changes were doubtless made in contemplation of Marshal Pilsudski being the man to whom it would fall for some fairly lengthy period to exercise the exceptional authority with which the President was thus clothed. With the removal of his autocratic personality from the stage there are possibilities of more or less serious disturbance not only in the republic’s internal government but also in its attitude with regard to questions are are engaging much wider attention.

When, as an outcome of the war, the territory which had formed the old kingdom of Poland and which had been partitioned among Russia, Germany and Austria was reunited, the newly constituted republic was taken under the wing of France as its chief protector. The intimate association thus established continued until a comparatively recent date, but of late some element of estrangement had been introduced as a result of the rapprochement between France and Soviet Russia. This movement very naturally aroused doubts in Poland as to how far she could rely upon French support in case of differences arising between Warsaw and Moscow. As a consequence there was developed in Poland a tendency to seek a more friendly relationship with Germany, who was and still is at definite arm’s length with Russia. Looking back on Poland’s history of the last century and a half this seemed a rather strange recourse. It had, however, assumed a phase that promised to interfere badly with the carrying out of French proposals for bringing about what has been termed an Eastern Locarno Treaty embracing practically all the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. It was for the purpose of disabusing the Polish mind of any doubts as to the continued sincerity of French friendship that AL Laval, the French Foreign Minister, had undertaken a journey to Warsaw for a conference with the Polish President. The plans thus laid will be very much upset by Marshal Pilsudski’s death, as it seems to he assumed that there will be such confusion in Poland’s domestic political affairs as to make effective negotiation difficult. It is, however, sug-

gested in our cable messages, that the removal of Marshal Pilsudski will mean a more confident assertion on the part of the Polish political section that is doubtful as to the wisdom of leaning overmuch towards Germany. Recent occurrences in connection with both Danzig and Memel will afford fair reasons for calling a halt in this respect, for they point pretty clearly to Germany aspiring to something like complete control in the Baltic, a fear that will scarcely be allayed by Herr Hitler's declaration with regard to the strengthening of his navy. Poland has also to bear in mind Germany’s obvious desire to recover from her Upper Silesia with its valuable coalmines. The situation that has been created is one of great interest not unmixed with some anxiety and developments will be closely watched by all the .European Great Powers.