In the initial years of the district's existence, local Poles enjoyed limited autonomy, with 55 Polish-language schools, 80 reading rooms and a Polish daily "Marchlewszczyzna Radziecka" ("Soviet Marchlewszczyzna"). At the same time, its inhabitants were subject to intense communist propaganda. Polish grammar rules, regarded as "bourgeoisie", were changed; however, the district lacked educated people. The majority of its inhabitants were Catholic peasants who were not interested in communist ideas. Therefore, such persons as Tomasz Dąbal were brought there to propagate atheism. An organization named the Polish Anti-Catholic Section was also founded.