JOLT FOR GOMULKA

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31728, 11 July 1968, Page 17

JOLT FOR GOMULKA

Rival Made Secretary (N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copy rig nt) WARSAW, July 10. General Mieczyslaw Moczar, major rival for Mr Vladyslaw Gomulka’s 12-year leadership of the Polish Communist Party, has won two important posts in his quest for power, the “New York Times” News Service reports.

The Minister of the Interior was yesterday elected as Secretary of the Central Committee and a deputy member of the 12-strong Politburo. General Moczar*s new appointments, announced at the end of a long-awaited, twoday session of the Central Committee, reflects the growing strength of his national-ist-minded wing of the party. Head of “The Partisans”, as the Second World War resistance fighters were called. General Moczar has been a leading force behind the new stress on Polish patriotism and the now-disavowed purge of “Zionists”. There is widespread speculation that General Moczar may be able to improve his position still further, at a party congress scheduled for November, and strongly challenge Mr Gomulka’s leadership. WICHA OUT The Central Committee has also announced the retirement of Mr Wladyslaw Wicha, the Secretary of the Central Committee, whose job was to counter-balance General Moezar’s control of the secret police.

The committee also accepted the resignation from the Politburo of Mr Edward Ochab, aged 61, the former Chief of State, who gave failing eyesight as the reason for his retirement.