SITUATION IN POLAND

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25082, 14 January 1947, Page 7

SITUATION IN POLAND

BRITISH CONCERN APPROACH TO SOVIET GOVERNMENT (N.Z, Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, January 13. The British Government hag instructed its Ambassador to Moscow (Sir Maurice Peterson) to communicate with the Russian Government about the Polish situation, which is causing Britain grave concern. The Government has informed the United States of this approach. Meanwhile the Polish Prime Minister (Mr Edward Osqbka-Morawsltl) has predicted that the Government bloc Will win the elections on January 19, says the Warsaw correspondent of the Associated Preps, Mr Osuhka-MorawsW said that the Government had done everything pop. sible to eradicate terrorism and assure a peaceful, unfettered poll. The Socialist Party’s objectives were to develop the western territories, fulfil three reconstruction plane, stabilise the currency, and complete internal security.

The Peasant Party leader (Mr Mikolajczyk) declared that in an at. tempt to clinch the election issue in favour of the Government bloc parties of security poliee had arrested 50,099 of his supporters. They had seized 2990 in the Krakow district alone he declared. Many were released, but were rearrested, He accused the organisers of the Govern, ment bibs of instructing employees iq factories and busmesses to vote for the Government or they would lose their jobs and their homes might fee destroyed. Mpbg had smashed shops owned by persons suspected of pro-Mikolajczyk sympathies, and many thousands of party voters had been struck from the registration lists. Two hundred and fifty of the party’s candidates had also been eliminated, The correspondent says that no Polish newspaper has yet been permitted to publish the contents of the British and American Notes, Which express concern for an unfettered election.

A court in Katowice sentenced to death four men who were accused of constituting the high command of an outlawed underground organisation and with supplying information to foreign embassies in Warsaw. Three others were sentenced to gaol terms ranging from eight to 15 years. Evidence was given that 53 reports had been handed to members of an unnamed foreign embassy in Warsaw.