them from the Party, can the case be handed over to the Security Police. (viz. "Naprzod Dolnoslaski" of January 4th-10th, 1946). The leadership of the "official" Party does not enjoy the confidence of the rank and file, who - time and again -l. made themselves heard at Party meetings and conferences, taking a decisive line against the policy of'the leadership. The recen1Hegional conferences at Cracow and Katowice constituted crushing defeats for the leadership. These conferences unanimously opposed the idea of an electoral bloc in which the PPS would combine with the Communists (PPR) against the Polish Peasant Party. These recent confesences became virile manifestations iu favour of the old leaders from the geftuine PPS and violent manifestations against the official leadership. Another striking example of the lack of confidence of the .rank and file in the leadership is provided by the results· of elections to the Shop Committees. Instructions emanating from the leadership or during these elections to be conducted jointly with the Communists on the basis of 50-eyo representation, were rlisregarded by the rank and fite, who put forward separate Socialist list. In the 63 such recent elections in the largest indu- ~t.rial district of _Poland, out of a total of 928 seats, the PPR gained only 193 (21%), while Socialists gained 556 (64%), the IDelilocrjatic Party--14, C4i:t:istian Labour :P,arty-10, Polish Peasant Party-2, the rest being shared by non-party and Trade l:nions lists, inclu~ing many Socialist sympathisers. ' In this connection, the fact that membership of a Party alone very often does not prove political allegiance to the leadership of the given Party, may be illustrated by a complaint made on December 8th, 1945, by the Communist leader and Vice-Premier of the VJ"arsawGovernment, Gomulka, who said: 'There were elections to the Shop Committee of the "Fablok" factory (in Cracow). Our Party cell in that factory comprises 250-270 people- And in these elections we have not gained a ~ingle seat". 'l'he leadership of the "official" PPS are not content with . attacking their own rank.. and file in the Party Press, with accusing them of not understanding the :new Party line, with opposing co-operation with the Communists, witli not being politically conscious enough, etc. etc. (viz. o.g. "Robotnik" of No- ,,ember 3rd, 1945); they also try to counteract, as far as possible; the expression of the mood of the masses. Thus, for instance, when Regional 'Conferences elected new Regional Committees ac_cording to the wishes and convictions of the delegates, such eiections were declared wholly or partly invalid by the Central Executive Committee and new officers were appointed to replace the previously elected ones. This happened, o.g.,' in- the 1:egions of Dabrowa-SUesia ·and the city of Warsaw. '· 111present circumstances, no free Socialist Press can exist. The official leadership have monopolized for tl1emselves all means of expression. Individual att,empt.s tq create a Sociali'!t Press (a, cjaily or a weekly, or even a monthly) which would not Biblioteca Gino Bianco
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