HOW COMMUNISTS CONDUCT ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Chronicle (Levin), 7 January 1947, Page 5

HOW COMMUNISTS CONDUCT ELECTION CAMPAIGN

OPPONENTS BRVTAtXY TREATEEf IN POI AND Received: Mionday, 7 p.m. LQNDTDN,. Jaiu 6. With tlie1 Polish eliectioa apprdach- ' itig tane Dahy ■keTe'grapi's Warsaw cortespdhdeiit iutetviewetl § nfiniker of Peasaut Pkrfcy stipporters5 who descrthedi how the Gtfmmunist-contfoiled secarity poiice khowit. as- tT.B'.. aKcested, iatimidated and tortufied them. The vi'ctims''' stories inelude1 A coalminer: After signin'g. a list supporting the- P'easant Party candidate, U.B. arrested him apd tried to make- liim- remove his name from -tlie list. He was punched and heaten with a rubber hose until unconscious ; was made to crouch doiibleds up) for hoircs-, was kickedi and threatened with a pistol. A youngnniddleclass woman: After signing the Peasant Party list she was- torced toi stand for five hours- in a temperature helow freezing point until" she faintedt A mechanic: He withdxew his sigr nature to gain freedoim. A- policeman told hini: 4fcThe\whole Peasant Party are bandits with Mikolakczyk at the head." A garage proprietor:. He . was arrested. for- colleeting money to> buy a hanner for. the Peasarat Paxfcy. He refused to answer questions hy a uniformed Russian officer and he was told that he was one of those who wanted- the Russians out of Poland and that Mikolajczyk (Ifeader of the Pfeasant Party)' was a toandit working for London, and "we shall never allow your party to go to the eiections. ' ' A- woman factory worker: Slie had to- stand in a courtyard for five hours in the frost. The U.B. chief asked: ' ' Wfiy do you beiong to a party that is financed hy England which is preparing atom honihs to drop on Poland?' ' The correspondent says he does- not find it easy to helieve these people were lying, or exaggeratmg. They ran too great a risk in talking, to- an Englishman beeause their niovements: were closely watched. Foreign policy hased on close friendsnip with Russia is propounded*. in an election manifesto issued hy the four-party democratic bloc. Themanifesto added that the policy would also be to maintain good relations with. Britain. and Ameriea hut ' 4 the relations with each Allied State' will he determined hy that State 'S' relations with. Germany since a protector of Germany could never be' friends with Poland." The bloc parties are the Communists, Socialists, Democrats and antiMikolajczyK peasants.