George Matulaitis Journal

304 troublemaker and had some ill will to boot, especially a fanatical hatred of Lithuanians, Belorussians, Jews, Russians, and other people. His presence here in Vilnius did a great deal of harm to the Church. He again stirred up discontent and animosity among the local factions when the situation was already fraught with tension. He did not sow love, peace, or tranquillity, but rather turned out to be an agitator and a troublemaker. I have heard that the Lithuanians are getting ready to collect the facts and send a complaint to Rome about Archbishop Hryniewiecki’s activities here. March 19 On the feast of St. Joseph I celebrated Mass and gave a sermon in the chapel of the sisters of Mary Magdalene in Antakalnis at about nine in the morning. After breakfast I visited the girls’ workshop conducted by the sisters. From there I went to Luki kiai square. Here there was a solemn Mass at 11 o’clock in honor of Pi = sudski—it was his name day. His Excellency Bishop Bandurski said Mass, but there was no sermon. I had been invited to the festivities by General Mokrzecki himself. After the services there was a military parade. Not many people were there. Some children had been brought in from various institutions, and quite a number of soldiers out on leave were mixing in among the people. These made up something of a crowd. At seven in the evening I went to the University, where an evening program had been organized in honor of Pi = sudski as the restorer of the University. 1 The Rector 2 spoke of the momentous hour that Poland was now facing: the signing of the peace treaty with the Bolsheviks, 3 the plebiscite in Silesia, negotiations with the Lithuanians. 4 He expressed the conviction that all this will turn out for the honor and glory of Poland. He glorified Pi = sudski and honored 1 Pi = sudski had reopened the University of Vilnius in the fall of 1919. The opening ceremonies were held on Nov. 11. The University had been closed by Czar Nicholas I in 1832. 2 Dr. Michal Siedlecki was rector from 1919 to October of 1921. 3 The Treaty of Riga had just been signed on March 18, 1921, ending the Polish-Bolshevik War and read- justing boundaries. 4 These had been resumed by order of the Military Control Commission set up by the League of Nations.