Monday, Jul. 09, 1928
New Cabinet
Marshal Josef Pilsudski resigned, last week, as Prime Minister of Poland, then said to correspondents:
"The Polish Sejm [Parliament], which I call a prostitute, purposely framed the Constitution so that the greatest shame which savage, ignorant brains could devise would be placed on the nation's most popular man. . . . The President of Poland is not permitted even to select his valet or his maid, much less his Ministers. No one would think of treating a servant in the infamous manner in which the Constitution handles the President. . . .
"After I had led the war for giving Poland independence I wanted to leave Poland to her own devices. I asked myself whether I should handle the Polish Parliament as a prostitute, and tramp on it with my feet, or choose the other way of leaving it alone. Had I chosen the former method the unpleasant affair of May 1926 [Pilsudski's coup d'etat] would never have occurred.
"In order to avoid misunderstandings, I wish to declare that I personally, as Dictator, called Parliament together and cooperated with it constitutionally, even though I could have crushed the whole outfit under my thumb like a vile worm. The Deputies behave in Parliament as if they were in a saloon. Only the Ministers must act respectably while the Deputies bawl and act like swine and renegades.
"Every Pole believes, on account of the present protection which the Government gives to industry, that the Premier is his special clerk. All my dear Ministers were pleased to push all their work on to me. For this reason I learned to hate the office. The only way of escape was by resignation. . . . However, I told the President I should be available for service in critical times. The control of international Polish policies still remains in my hands." The Prime Minister of the new Cabinet, formed last week, is Dr. Kazimir Bartel, previously Vice-Prime Minister. Marshal Pilsudski continues to hold the War Ministry, remains de facto Dictator.