Mr Gierek’s dilemma

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32524, 6 February 1971, Page 14

Mr Gierek’s dilemma

The Poles are not a submissive race; when aroused they will fight harder and more tenaciously than almost any other people. No-one is more aware of this quality than the new party leader, Mr Gierek, which probably explains why he went to talk to the angry shipyard and other workers in the Baltic ports which were the scene of savage rioting in December. He persuaded them to return to work, but obviously did not convince them that there was anything unreasonable in their demands for higher pay, cheaper food, and a closer consultative association with the Government

The workers will not have failed to appreciate the irony of a comment in the official party newspaper, “ Trybuna Ludu ”, that “ some people “ were trying to create an atmosphere of anarchy “ and demagogy in the country ”. The demagogy is, and always has been, in the party itself. None believes more profoundly in the unqualified authority of the party than Mr Gierek himself. His communism is almost unencumbered by dogma: he simply believes that the party is the government, and that the government must be strong and rule unshakably. The question therefore recurs: where and how is there to be consultation?

Mr Gierek apparently thinks, with the Russian leadership, that discontent in Eastern Europe does not result from any structural fault in the communist system. If he persists with that line of reasoning he is likely to end up as Gomulka did—forced out of office after another confrontation with the people. For it is clear that the Poles do not propose to surrender their demands for better conditions and a say in the shaping of policy. Nor are they, or any other of the East European peoples, in the mood to seek social betterment by working harder in the factories. They must be sick and tired of the repetitive cry for “ labour discipline ”, implying that they are responsible when the economy drags, since the leadership, at least in principle, is infallible.

Mr Gierek has got his labour force back to work by promising that the system of economic management will be revised, making use of the “best experience” of other socialist countries; and revis ‘ on of the current five-year plan—up to 1975 will enable the introduction of “ new ‘elements”. The workers along Poland’s Baltic coast have indicated that they will critically assess performance in the light of promise. Mr Gierek’s ??= hl t 0 that there wiU almost certainly be another belly rebellion ”—to borrow C7»rh ac ? nia ?- term-if he fails, and, as in °7 kla ’ a f e P ressive Russian reaction if he concedes too much.