860C.00/12–2946: Telegram
The Ambassador in Poland (Lane) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
[Received December 29—12:45 p.m.]
1996. Embtel 1954, December 19. Following is summary of letter of December 18 delivered by Mikolajczyk as chairman of Polish Peasant Party PSL to representatives of Yalta Powers.
- 1.
- Introductory portion invokes Yalta and Potsdam decision as well as Moscow agreement of June 45 between coalition of Government parties constituting Polish Provisional Government and other parties including Peasant Party represented by Mikolajczyk and Kiernik, guaranteeing to all parties “full freedom for organization, assembly, [Page 553] press and propaganda” and assuring Peasant Party at least one-third of positions in Government and state organizations. In spite foregoing and protests made to Prime Minister, PSL has been persecuted since it commenced its activities.
- 2.
- Following methods used to combat PSL activities (supported by annexes): (1) Arrests (2) compulsory enrollment in bloc political parties (3) compulsory collaboration with Security Police (4) expulsions from farms (5) dismissals from employment (6) searches of homes (7) summons by Secret Police to exert pressure (8) planting by Secret Police of arms and subversive literature to justify arrests (9) confiscation by Secret Police of membership cards and other party documents to hinder party operations (10) attacks by Secret Police and Communists on party premises (11) attacks by Secret Police and Communists on party congresses (12) suspension and limitation by Government authorities of party meetings (13) suspension by Secret Police of party activities in 28 powiats (14) sealing of powiat party premises (15) beating of party members to enforce resignation, collaboration or joining bloc parties (16) registered murders of 110 party members (17) limitation of circulation of party papers, arrests of editorial staff of party bulletin and of Gazeta Ludowa and censorship.
- 3.
- Amendments to electoral law submitted by PSL to National Council of Homeland were rejected although in keeping with first draft of electoral law prepared by bloc parties at time when it was still hoped PSL would join bloc. Since then, PSL members have been excluded from district and local electoral commissions in Warsaw, Poznan, Katowice, Lodz and Olsztyn. Voting areas created in Krakow and Lublin provinces are larger than permitted by electoral law. Because of distances, condition of roads, lack of clothing and cold, peasants will not be able to vote within 12 hours in these areas comprising 8,000 inhabitants each. Military units have been sent into country to agitate against PSL. Central Committee for Political Education of Polish Army has published booklet calumniating PSL.
Letter concludes substantially as follows:
It is clear that Yalta and Moscow decisions and assurances of Provisional Government of National Unity of freedom of elections and rights of democratic parties are not applicable to PSL. Date of elections January 19, 1947 far distant from time limits fixed in Yalta and Potsdam agreements. During this period security authorities have been employing all possible means exterminate PSL which forms part of coalition of Provisional Government of National Unity in accordance with Yalta. We appealed to President and Prime Minister to issue suitable orders but our demands have not been met. On contrary terrorism increasing. In this state of affairs we take liberty approaching you as representative of Government which in our opinion responsible for carrying out of Yalta decisions and informing it by this means of conditions in which elections are being carried out.
Repeated London as 258 and Moscow as 210.