The White Eagle of Poland

by E. F. Benson

(iv.) The Council of State is to discuss matters submitted to it by the Governor-General, and to “possess an initiative in legislation.”

(v.) The Diet is to discuss matters submitted to it by the Governor-General, and have powers of taxation.

The Governor-General, in fact, provides subjects of discussion for the two bodies, but is under no obligation to accept their conclusions. One of these bodies, the Council of State may “initiate legislation,” a phrase utterly meaningless, since no provision is made for the completion of such legislation. In other words, neither body has any powers at all, and their only functions are to converse on subjects indicated to them by the Governor-General.

This led to a protest from the Poles, who independently formed a Provisional National Council in Warsaw, consisting (according to the original scheme) of 81 members, of whom Warsaw contributed 41. They ignored the Diet and Council of State as set up by the Germans, and demanded that,

(i.) The Council of State shall be formed on an understanding with parties in the National Council.

(ii.) The Council of State shall have legislative power and a voice in military affairs.

(iii.) A Regent from a friendly Roman Catholic dynasty shall be appointed.

(iv.) The Council of State shall consist of 20 members, 12 from the German territory of occupation and 8 from the Austrian. Of these only one shall be appointed by the Governor-General.

These proposals, put forth by the Polish self-appointed National Council in two successive demands, were admitted, and in this fact we can find a certain significance. Germany had to recognize the National Council, and thus the Poles got a certain real voice in the making of the Constitution which they did not enjoy under the original German scheme. Probably also pressure was put on her ally by Austria, the official press of which country had entirely ignored the first declaration, since it implied the total abandonment of the “Austrian Solution,” and the only announcements given of it in the unofficial press were derived from Berlin.