Evening star., 1944-11-26
Polish Peasant Party
Rejects Bid for Role
In Coalition Cabinet
Ey the Associated Press.

.
LONDON, Nov. IS. - Poland's
Peasant Party today brushed of
a plea for it's participation in a
new coalition cabinet, raising
acute doubts that the tenacious
but troubled exiled government
could survive the gravest of its
many crises.
Plain-spoken peasant-born Stani-
slaw Mikolajczyk-long the hope
and link for fraternal peace in
Poland and for accord between his
country and Soviet Russia-led his
Peasant party out of the coalition
today just day after he resigned
as Prime Minister.
The decision left Jan Kwapianski,
Socialist premier-designate, with the
task Of forming government from
among leaders of his own party and
those of the Christian and National
Democrats-many of whom have
been labeled anti-Russian by Mos
COW.
Prospects Are Dim.
Prospects of finding a workable
group, acceptable to the Soviet
Union and to Britain and the United
States were dim indeed, but the
bald, husky, new Premier plunged
into the task Immediately with the
hop Of announcing a cabinet this
week end
(The Polish National Liberia
ton Committee in a broadcast
from Moscow recorded by the
Federal Communications Com
mission said of Mr. Kwapinski's
appointment that there could
hardly have been a more un-
fortunate choice. /" Kwapinski
in the role of possible premier
can mean only swing to the
right and only further import
ant concession to reaction.D
1t appeared certain, however, that
loss of Mr.. Mikola jczyk and the
Peasant party by the exiled gov
eminent would strengthen the hand
of the rival, Soviet-sponsored Ma
tional Liberation Committee in its
bid for recognition as the admin
istrative authority in liberated
Poland.
Offers Rejected.
1t was this group which twice
beckoned to Mr.. Mikolajczyk, OBJ
viously with the Kremlin's approval,
with an invitation to return to lib
Grated Lublin and carry on as its
prime minister. Each time, he re-
jected the offer.
Although Polish circles here in
dignantly repudiated the idea. the
possibility remained open that he
would accept the offer now to
realize his long-cherished dream of
returning to his homeland to help
In the reconstruction.
Mr. Mikolajczyk's resignation was
based on his inability to win from
the cabinet an agreement to settle
now the Polish-Russian territorial
dispute on terms which would give
the Soviet Union frontier roughly
along the Curzon Line, with the
Poles receiving compensation in the
west at the expense of Germany.
Shifted Policy.
Meanwhile, if Mr.. Kwapinski Sue
ceeds in forming new government,
its policy is expected to be based
on an attempt to postpone final
territorial settlements until victory
"a policy from which Mr.. Miko-
lajczyk shifted only a few months
ago under British-American pres
sure.
The new crisis drew mixed reac-
ton from London Poles. One group,
long bitter in their allegation of
Soviet "dictation, contended the
development would crystalize the
issue and force the United States
and Britain to take more definite
action. Some Poles expressed belief
1t would mean the collapse of the
exiled government. Still others In
government circles described them
selves as Martyrs" to the cause of
Polish independence.
The British press suggested the
crisis within the Polish cabinet in
London was brought to a climax by
the United States reluctance to Join |
In three-poWer guarantee of the |
future frontiers of the pew polapd |