CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS IN POLAND

Chronicle (Levin), 14 January 1947, Page 8

CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS IN POLAND

Received Monday, 9.5 p.m, LONDON, Jan, 12. The Prime Minister (iMr. Morawski) predicted that the Government bloc will win the elections on January 19, says tlxe Warsaw correspondent of the Associalpd Press> Mr. Morawski said the Government had doiie eveiythiug possilile to eradicaie terrorisin and assdre a peaeeful, unJ'ettered poll, The Bocialist Party 's objectives were. to develop the western 1 crrilories, fullil its reconstruetion plan, stabilise the currency and coinplete internal security. Mr. JMikolaj'czyk, the leader of the PcastuiL Ihirtvj . declared that, in an atlempt to cliifch the election issue in favour of ihe Government bloc parties, Ihe sec'urity police had arrested 50,000 of his supporters, seizing 2000 in the Karkow district alone. JMany of those who had lieen reteased had been re arrested. He accused tlie bloc organisers of instructing factory and business employees to vole for the Government, or they would lose their jobs and their liomes miglit be destroyed. Mobs had smashed shops owned by persons suspected of pro-Mikolajczyk syinpathies. Many tliousands of party voters had been . struck fron) the registration lists and . 25.0 oi* theyJihrfY^'VitPdidates had. . ajs.Q. "b^etj.', ; TTie c of respbil Seiit '^ays'/fhatii^. Pfl|ish npwspaperse ha'Ve -yet (j|/pen.-pehmit'tA4v to pu'blish :ithe conVents of the British aiid American Notes, which express concern for an unfettered election.

A later message says that the British Government hau instructed its Amliassador in Moseow ,to conimunicate with tlie Russiali GovermUeiit about the Polisli situatioii, wllich is calising Britain grave concern. The Government lias inforined the. Unitcd ytates of this -ipproaeh.