POLISH ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25080, 11 January 1947, Page 7

POLISH ELECTION CAMPAIGN

FAIRNESS CLAIMED BY SPOKESMAN

(Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 10. The special Warsaw correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says: “In spite of an overwhelming mass of evidence of gross irregularities in the management of the forthcoming Polish elections, an official Government spokesman yesterday expressed himself as fully satisfied with the conduct of the campaign, saying: ‘My Government is satisfied that the election campaign has been fairly conducted and will express the Polish peoples true The leader of the Peasant Party (Mr Mikolajczyk) has announced that he is appealing to the Supreme Court against the rejection of his candidates. Ha added that the whole election was obviously unfair, but his party wanted to act legally and would go to the polls In districts where they were allowed, to. I

labour of any kind, including troops, we will all walk out.’ ” In Birmingham, the employees of one of the largest trans-shipment centres for the Midlands ceased work.

Strikers’ Demands The strikers’ five demands, which the Central Wages Board will discuss on Monday, are a 40-hour week, an eight-hour day, 14 days’ annual paid holiday, half-pay during sicimess, and abolition of the accumulated week for overtime purposes. The strikers complain that negotiations on wages and hours have been proceeding for nine months, without a satisfactory settlement. The Ministry of Labour, in a statement, declared that the strike was against trade union advice, and a breach, in some cases, of special agreements designed to safeguard the mails. The proper course for the men on strike was to go back to work and abide by any decision of the Wages Board, with the assurance that a decision would be reached on the basis of a fair and impartial hearing of their claims. No other assurance could be given to them. The Minister will not countenance any attempt to secure forcibly rates and conditions by unconstitutional means. The immediate reaction at Smithfield to the Ministry’s statement was one of determination not to return to work until what the men described as a satisfactory settlement was reached. A spokesman said: “The machinery for dealing with the dispute is antiquated and needs oiling.” The Ministry of Food announced that unused meat coupons this week would be available next week.