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XeAeNoe9. for December 19529 5.
POLAND AFTER ITS ELECTIONS.
The elections e
On July 224, Poland's Sejm (Parliament) had accepted the
new, Russian=-styled, Yonstituion. the next move was the establishment
of a new electoral law snd the political campaign in preparation of
the “ctober 26th electionse Under the leadership of the United Polish
Workers Party, all political parties and groups agreed in August to
join in a common National Front and to establish a single list of
candidates to be presented to the voters for approvale ith all politic
forces thus integrated, one possible nucleus of resistance still re¬
mained: the Church. After weeks of uncertainety, the hierarchy came
forth with a prudent statement by the end of September. It emphasized
that political abser téism was not a Christian attitude. Catholics had
a duty to participate in the public life of their country; they hadg to
fulfill their patriotic duties; but at the same time had the responsibi¬
lity of watching that the religious freedom - guaranteed by the Church¬
State agreement of April 14, 1950 and by the Constitution - was not
limited and dimindshed in practical lifesee. «ith this sa&atement, the
fundamental rights of the Church were not given up, thile the faithful
were left free to judge by themselves what attitude to take in the
forth-coming electionSe
After the huge preparatory campaign, the outcome of the
elections were no surprise; 95% of the electorate participated; 99%
voted for the official list of candidates established by the National
Front in each constituency. in Warshaw and the larger industrial cities
even 99.99 and 99.8% of the votes casted were for the tational Fronte
Such "unanimity" was higher than is usually the case in satelliteg
countries; it was a copy of the Svviet Russian example.
Among those elected figured not only the communist Party nembers ¬
headed by President Bierut, Marshal Rokossowski and Politburo chiéfs
Like Jacob Berman - but also memberd coming from the ranks of the
socialists and the reasant rarty, but who are rdady to cooperate with
the present moscow-led regimee
a em am
Poland's position in the soviet world.
Some commentators have tried to explain why such unusually
spectacular campaign had ppececded the rolish elections and why the
results had to be of such a striking "unanimity". Certain Western
circles have concluded — with wishful thinking - that this was the
sign of open resistance in roland. Because opposition were so strong,
it was argued, the rolish government had to make a special effort to
convince the masses,amm had to spare the susceptibilities of groups
not gained to the Sovict Line, and had to show an overwhelming victory.
Our observers of the rolish situation explain this situation
from a different angle. They bring a number of concrete facts, proving
a