Criticism of Poles by proxy

Press, 1 September 1980, Page 6

Criticism of Poles by proxy

NZPA Moscow The Soviet Union, following East Germany’s example, on. . Saturday publicised... sharply critical comments l about the,Polish Government by the leader of tha staunchly pro-Moscow Com--munist Party of the United States. • ■■'. , : Tass news agency carried extracts from an article by t Gus Hall,- leader of thef American Party, blaming the; wave of strikes in Poland on “weak leadership and -distortion of socialist methods' and approach.” Mr Hall is a faithful follower of the Kremlin line on all questions and it appeared certain that by quoting his views the Soviet-media were giving them implicit endorsement. Until now the Soviet media have given only the barest details of events, in Poland, referring not to strikes but to “interruptions of work.” “ Even President Brezhnev chose to sidestep the question in a major speech in Alma-Ata on Friday.. Diplomats in Moscow believe the Soviet Union is reluctant to get too closely involved in Polish events, and will be relieved to hear the news of a negotiating breakthrough. But there are likely to be strong misgivings about the Polish leadership’s handling of the affair, and especially about the decison to accept, 1 at least in-part, the workers’ demands. for free unions.