Interpelacje Klubu Narodowej Partii Robotniczej w I Sejmie Śląskim : (od 10 października 1922 roku do 12 lutego 1929 roku)

Abstract

The law of interpellation in the Silesian Sejm I regulated mainly the 14th article of the Constitutional act from 15 July 1920, including the organic status of the Silesian Voivodship (Dz.U.R.P. Nr 73, poz. 497), especially the 44th article of the temporary regulations (from 13 October 1922) and a permanent one (from 31 January 1923) of the Silesian Sejm. According to the 44th article of the Silesian Sejm’s regulations, the interpellation given to the speaker by interpellants should be signed by at least 7 Members of Parliament, and the interpellated organ was to answer the questions (queries) within the period of 3 weeks from the interpellation day. Besides, the regulation under discussion predicted an obligatory Sejm discussion on interpellation and answer to it. A small (8 MP) Club of the National Working Party submitted 20 interpellations in the Silesian Sejm I, which were often co-signed by the MP of other clubs. The analysis of the NWP interpellations shows that the majority of them touched upon the protection of economic businesses of people (mainly the workers), which proves that interpellations of this club realized the assumptions and postulates of the National Working Party political programme accepted in Kraków in 1921. The actions by the speaker of the Sejm and answers (explanations) of the provincial governor illustrate the second phase of the interpellation process. A confrontation of the practices of the whole interpellation proceeding with the principles of the two Silesian Sejm’s regulations points to major differences on the two levels: the law in the Silesian Sejm I regulations, and, sometimes, the law far from the one realized in practice.