Polish Vote Ends Struggle For Power

Northern Advocate, 23 January 1947, Page 5

Polish Vote Ends Struggle For Power

(Special, 10 a.m.) LONDON. Jan. 22. The Manchester Guardian’s special Warsaw correspondent. ...commenting upon the results of the Polish elections, says there is no doubt the Government's overwhelming majority lias ended two years of tragic struggle for power.

The Government's majority was even larger than expected, and, judged by Eastern standards, the election did not differ essentially from previous elections in Poland.

This time the police regrettably played a larger part than they did in pre-war days, but the authorities contend that this extra police surveillance was justified because of the activities of terrorists and the lowered sense of morality in the country generally.

Whatever the final results, there is no doubt that a very large majority of the people in the industrial areas supported the Government, chiefly because of the benefits that nationalisation of industries have brought them. PEASANT SUPPORT The result of the election confirms that this policy has come to stay. Moreover, many smaller peasant holders also supported the Government because of the benefits to them of recent agricultural reforms.

The Peasant Party leader (M. Mikolajczyk) fought a courageous battle, but is now firing his last shots, and is expected to leave Cabinet after the final results have been announced.

It is possible, however, that one or two of the three seats his parly holds in Cabinet will be retained.

If M. Mikolajczyk protests against the elections he will have to do so within seven days of the annoncement of the official results, which will be made on January 31. He has already seen the American and British Ambassadors and is understood to be contemplating an appeal to the Big Four. In London the British Foreign Office is studying the report of the British Ambassador (Mr V. F. Cavendish-

Bentinck), but reports that Britain may refuse to recognise the new Government are discounted. RETURN OF GOLD

A decision has still to be made whether or not Britain will agree to return to Poland £4,000.000 worth of Polish reserve gold lodged in Britain for safekeeping during the war. It was agreed last June that Britain should retain £3,000.000 of the £7.000,000 originally lodged as settlement of war debts, but the British Government subsequently indicated that it would not agree to returh the balance until satisfied that a freelyelected Government had been established in Poland in conformity with the Yalta and Potsdam Declarations.