SECRET ELECTIONS PLEDGED TO POLAND

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 152, 29 June 1945, Page 5

SECRET ELECTIONS PLEDGED TO POLAND

GOVERNMENT SET UP

Basis Of Recognition By Allied Powers N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. noon, LONDON, June 28. It is officially stated in London that the Allies' recognition of the new Polish Government of National Unity was presumably made' after consultations on the composition of the Government between the Yalta Powers. The new administration will be required to provide a pledge that free, secret elections will be held. The Daily Mail diplomatic correspondent says the Polish Government in London, anticipating the imminent withdrawal of British diplomatic recognition and financial aid, is seeking sanctuary elsewhere in order to maintain its position as an empire Government.

M. Arciszewski, Prime Minister of the Polish Government in London, hopes that it will be possible for the Government to move to Dublin or Montreal in the near future. Negotiations, backed by the Vatican, are at present progressing with Mr. de Valera and the Canadian Government on the question of providing the Government with extraterritorial rights. The Poles would prefer Montreal, where they believe they could establish the closest possible liaison with the Polish community in America, from whom they would obtain financial assistance which is undoubtedly required. The London Poles each quarter have been receiving a financial payment from the British Treasury. The payment for next quarter is due tomorrow, but it will not be made. Composition of Government The composition of the new Polish Government was announced by Warsaw radio as follows:— Prime Minister.—M. Edward OsubkaMorawski. Vice-Premier.—M. Wladyskaw Gomolka. Joint Viee-Premier and Minister of Agriculture.—M. Mikolajczyk. War Minister.—M. Rola-Zymierski. Foreign Minister.—M. Wincenty Rzymowski. Public Administration.—Dr. Wladislaw Kierhik. Social Safety.—M. Stanlislaw Radkiewicz. Finance.—M. Cinstnaty Dabrowski. Minister, of Industry.—M. Hilary Mine. Communications.—M. Rabanowski. Post and Telegraph.—M. Tugutt. Merchant Navy and Foreign Trade.— M. Jedrychowski. Health.—M. Litwin. Social Welfare.—M. Stanczyk. Culture and Art.—M. Wladislaw Kowalski. Reconstruction;' —Professor Michal Maczorwski. Information and Propaganda.—M. Stefan Matuszewski. Food Supplies and Trade.—M. Donetor Jerzy Sztafel. The President of the Homeland National Council decided to co-opt to the National Council Professor Stanislaw Grabski, MM. Mikolajczyk, Stanczyk and ' Wincenty Witos, leader of the Peasant party. MM. Grabski and i Witos were also invited to become deputies to the President of the National Council.

Officials of Underground M. Gomolka, aged 39, was a prominent member of the Underground and deputy-Prime Minister of the Polish Provisional Government. M. Rola Zymierski was Commander-in-Chief of the Polish People's Army when the Germans occupied Poland, and later Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Army under the Lublin Committee.

The Germans twice arrested M. Rzymowski, and only liberation by the Red Army saved his life. He was also arrested by the Germans last year for patriotic activity. He was dismissed as a newspaper correspondent in Italy in 1927 because of his articles on Fascism.

Dr. Kiernik is one of the bestknown leaders of the Peasant party. He attended the Moscow talks. M. Radkiewicz was Minister of Public Security in the Lublin Committee. He was formerly a teacher who was often prosecuted for anti-Fascist activity.

M. Dabrowski was Socialist Minister of Finance, and M. Rabanowski Minister of Communications in the Provisional Government. M. Mine represents the Workers' party, while M. Tugutt joined the Warsaw Government earlier in the month.