Evening star., 1946-03-10

party, and Premier Edward Osubka-
Morawski of the Polish Socialist party,
bluntly have told Mikolajczyk that op-
pasition to the single bloc would be
liquidated.
Right now Mikola jczyk is reported re-
liably to fear what might be serious
trouble if there is "free election" with
more than one ticket in the field.
Uncertainty has caused many Poles
ernment DEGREES, too, such as the ma
tionalization of basic industries and the
appropriation of big estates have dis
turbed that cross-section of Polish
economy that once was rich, powerful
and aggressive.
money buys SO little.
The government permits payment of
100 zlotys for each American dollar sent
in to aid Poles. At that rate, the aver
age Polish worker gets around SIS to
$40 month. Railway workers and
school teachers get as little as 81 per
month. The average laborer receives
cents an hour.
Prices Very High.
AS to living costs, bread is 18 to 80
cents loaf; single egg costs IA cents;
a pound of potatoes 8 cents, and meats
such as steaks, chops and roasts around
So pound. The cheapest meal in
restaurant runs from $3.50 to Sc.
The government appears to be fol-
lowing the policy of the late Gen. Pill
sudski, who decided during the prewar
depression years that Poland would
hold the line" on zloty exchange. Then
it was officially 5.3 zlotys to each United
States dollar. 1t still is
But when Poles hear rumors that
the zloty is going to be devalued, they
offer as much as 400 to 500 per dollar.
On another side of the present-day
Polish picture, the Warsaw regime
works closely with that of Soviet Russia.
The Russian influence often has been
detected in governmental DEGREES, and
in such organizations as the giant agri-
cultural and semi-industrial monopoly,
"Spolem," which has announced its in
tention to take over eventually 100 per
cent of the peasants production and
distribute it through oo-operatives after
leaving the peasants a share.
There can be no doubt that Soviet
Russia has done much to help Poland
since the liberation. Russian supplies
and building materials are coming in.
Russian engineers have helped revive
electric services and transportation
systems.
Military Influence Diminishes.
Poles high in the provisional regime
say Russian military influence is di-
minishing. This correspondent per-
sonally has found scores of Russians in
Polish Army uniforms, from high-rank-
ing officers down to privates. The gov
ernment claims these are being replaced
as rapidly as Polish personnel becomes
available.
Poland's Ministry of Public Security
has stopped many of the ways of the
Russian NKVD in the operation of its
secret police. NKVD agents have in
structed Polish police. A highly compe-
tent source says that there are now a
half dozen high NKVD officers who see
that Radkiewicz's orders are properly
and efficiently executed.
Everywhere in Poland I have found
widespread fear of the secret police
Poles often are questioned within
matter of hours if they even talk to
foreigners. No Pole dares to criticize
the government publicly. There is
nothing tantamount to an American
conception of freedom of the press.
American Ambassador Arthur Bliss
Lane and British Ambassador Victor
Cavendish- have made it plain
to the Warsaw government that they
don't like the way things are run in this
country, particularly in reference to
Poland's obligations under the Potsdam
and Yalta agreements.
Ambassador Lane has protested the
Polish refusal to permit American busi-
nessmen to inspect their properties here
before they were nationalized. He said
that violated 1881 commercial treaty
between Poland and the United States.
He also declared that, as long as pres
ent conditions" exist, he would not rec
ommend the expenditure of one cent of
United States money here.