George Matulaitis Journal

302 years ago, there were no Lithuanians or Belorussians here, only Polish Catholics. Those nations have arisen, financed by Russian, German, Jewish, and Masonic money. This is all the work of the enemies of Poland and is also harmful to the Church. The Belorussians are especially dan- gerous. If they continue to force their language into the churches, they will make the people turn Orthodox. Then he spoke out vehemently against the Lithuanian and Belorussian clergy. The more he talked, the more excited he became. His eyes would start to glitter with a fanatical spark. He would repeat the same thing over and over, getting confused and tired. But you could not say that he did not make sense or was not aware of what he was saying. He was able to redirect his talk to his determined purpose. His Excellency the Archbishop is a tall, lean man with a pleasant face. He has aged considerably: his eyes appear sunken, and his lips bluish. Although he usually looked very pale, the color of a corpse, when he got excited, he became flushed and seemed to revive. The National Democrats brought him here to set him up against Bishop Bandurski — and me, of course. Actually, Bishop Bandurski is a great admirer and follower of Pi = sudski. His views are more democratic and progressive. He supported the efforts of Pi = sudski and his aides as well as the rural organization Rebirth that opposed the “endeks.” The members of Rebirth used his name in their campaign among the common folk in order to get their support. Consequently, the “endeks” brought in His Excellency the Archbishop to bolster up their own political efforts. They wanted to make use of the episcopal purple and the archbishop’s name and authority to gain credibility among the people and to offset Bishop Bandurski. The clever “endek” leaders manipulated the old man, feeding him their own ideas, which he repeated. Then they would spread these views among the people, as if they had come from the Archbishop, in the form of interviews or responses. Mr. Jan Obst 1 published such an inter- 1 Awell-known journalist and newspaperman of German descent who had espoused the Polish cause and wrote articles for the Polish press, usually on political topics. While Matulaitis was in Vilnius, he edited the Polish daily Dziennik Wile < ski , instrument of the National Democrats.