| Hard realities
of Polish events

Polish authorities are continuing to take
steps designed to return the country to
normal while protecting the socialist state
from civil war and counter-revolution. At
the same time the U.S. propaganda and
destabilization campaigns against Poland
are kept at a high pitch. In the circum-
stances, numerous questions are raised by
people in Canada who do not accept what
is handed to them by the monopoly media.
To deal with some of these questions, we
offer further excerpts from the remarks of
Communist Party leader William
Kashtan at a meeting held in January.
; * * *

_ Someone enquired whether other
- Communist and Workers’ parties ques-
tioned the direction Poland was. going
and urged them to change their policies.
I cannot say whether they did or not.
_ We should remember that each party is
__ sovereign and independent, works out its
own policies in conformity with the con-
ditions prevailing ineach country. At the
- same time, each socialist country is con-
cerned with both positive and negative
developments which may shape up here
_or there because of their effects on the
entire socialist community, and may ex-
press views on such developments.
The socialist countries and the parties
of the socialist community made no sec-

‘their concems
-velopments. in Poland, and wrote

~ 2

| &3a0 world News

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Soviet experts return to Egypt

CAIRO — A group of 66 Soviet technical experts is due to arrive in Egypt to .

_ carry out repair work on the Soviet-built Aswan High Dam. The personnel are the -

| first Soviet experts to arrive since former president Sadat expelled all technical
experts and several diplomats last year,

Three million jobless in Britain

_ LONDON — Britain’s official jobless figure topped three million Jan. 26 and
now stands as the highest since the depression of the 1930s. Prime Minister
Thatcher's monetarist policies, a forerunner of Reaganomics, has succeeded since
aed 1979 in pushing the unemployment level from a previous 1.3 million to

today’s figure. Northern Ireland suffers from a 19.7% rate, Wales 16.2%, Scotland
15.3% and England under 10% for an overall jobless percentage of 12.7%.

France, USSR sign 25-year deal

PARIS — France and the USSR signed 25-year agreement under which 280

billion feet of Siberian natural gas will be provided each year starting in 1984. The

agreement, part of an extensive pipeline project from the Soviet north to Western
European markets, was signed over strong protests from Washington.

. Greece seeks Canadian support

ATHENS — Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou has asked Canada’s
support for his aim of establishing a nuclear-free zone in the Balkans. Greece is
presently redefining its relations with NATO and the European Economic Com-
munity to achieve greater independence from the western military and economic

alliance.

Arab states condemn U.S. veto

UNITED NATIONS — Syria and other Arab states have condemned the |
United States’ veto which killed a motion to impose sanctions against Israel for its
annexation of the Golan Heights. Taken from Syria in 1967, the heights were -
unilaterally annexed Dec. 14 by the Knesset in violation of international law. In

~ condemning the U.S. veto, Syria charged it would encourage Israel to continue its
: annexation policies and destroy chances for peace in the region.

regarding the course -

about this in their media but within the
confines of their relations of equality and
non-interference in the internal affairs of
each.

Looked at from a longer point of view
the situation in-‘Poland (where counter-
revolution was out to restore capitalism,

wrest Poland away from the Warsaw -
Treaty and change the balance of forces:

in Europe and on a world scale) cannot
be separated from the aggressive drive of
the reactionary forces of U.S. imperial-
ism.

Our party took the initiative last June,
sending letters to Communist and Work-
ers’ parties throughout the world urging
the convening of an international confer-
ence of Communist and Workers’ parties
with the aim of concerting efforts around
the fight against the threat of nuclear war,
save peace and prevent the world being
drawn into a world nuclear catastrophe.

We are happy to note that a number of
parties from the socialist countries sup-
ported it as well as a number from the
capitalist countries.

Some have not yet replied. Obviously
the dangerous and complicated inter-
national situation dictates there is need
for some agreement, despite differences
that may exist between parties on other
questions, to come together and work

, out an agreed line of action. -
As far as. our party is concerned we

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FEB. 5, 1982—Page 4

Solidarity extremists had paralyzed the country, spread hatred, imperilled Poland’s al
ances and security, ruined the economy and abused confidence place in them by millions”
of people, president Jaruzelski told the Polish parliament (Sejm) Jan. 25.

will continue to work in that direction.
We believe it vital that any differences
which may exist on other questions be
put aside in the interest of the main ques-
tion before mankind — the prevention of
world nuclear war.

At the same time we are concerned
when the capitalist media reports the
statements of some leaders of some
communist parties regarding the institu-
tion of martial law. When one compares
them with the position of President
Reagan and the monopoly-owned media,
there is very little difference between
them.

What can one say of such spokesmen?
They are strike-breakers and worse.
They identify themselves not with social-
ism but with counter-revolution, and
thereby betray the interests of their
working class and the cause of peace and
socialism.

To Defend Socialism
General Jaruzelski said: ‘‘Our re-

~ course to the -army’s help is a temporary ~

and measure. The army’ will not -sub-
stitute itself for the normal machinery of
socialist democracy ... We want a
strong Poland, strong by virtue of her
achievements, her culture, her forms of
public life, her place in Europe. The only
way to achieve this goal is socialism.
This is the Poland we shall build, this is
the Poland we shall defend ... The aim,
therefore, of martial law is to defend
socialism, not capitalism, or return Po-
land to capitalism ... The Party has a
special part to play in this effort. In spite
of mistakes made and the heavy set-
backs, the party, engaged as it is in the
process of historic change, is still an ef-
fective and creative force.”

Speaking about the effort to achieve a
national agreement with other forces,
General Jaruzelski said: *‘We support
and respect the plurality of outlook in
this country and appreciate the patriotic
position of the church...”
on: ‘‘Just as there is no retreat from
socialism, so there is no return to the

erroneous practices and methods that .

existed before August, 1980.”

I draw this to your attention because
what is involved is the right to defend
socialism. You can’t deal with this ques-
tion from the standpoint of bourgeois
liberalism. Unfortunately this is the start-
ing and end point of right-wing social
democracy. They do not defend the right

to fundamental change. And this is not to-

say we should not seek cooperation with
reform-minded workers on every issue
we can. But there is a fundamental dif-
ference between the position of Commu-
nists directed to win working-class polit-
ical power, and the position of right-wing
social reformism whose main aim is to
win some reforms under capitalism and
keep capitalism going.

Concerning General Jaruselski’s re-
marks. that he wanted to avoid the use of
force: the fact is that force was avoided.
Two incidents, however, unfortunately
did take place. These were provocative
actions taken by counter-revolutionary

~ elements who were not in fact miners.

And he goes"

Attacked Security Forces

On two occasions they attacked the
security forces. They attacked, this is
admitted by the capitalist media. It
wasn’t the security forces which at-
tacked them. The security forces were
defending themselves.

The whole effort of government, a’ d
the party and the institution of martia al
law was directed to prevent civil war.
which could have led to the loss of man
many lives. Moreover, civil war mea
not only a bloodbath internally, but de-
pending on circumstances, it could ha
taken on an international character
which is what Reagan and compa
wanted. They wanted and still want
internationalize developments in Polan

So the efforts undertaken in Pola
were directed to prevent such an ou
come, prevent death and destructio’
Where violence unfortunately did tak
place, it was due to provocateurs and n
the Polish armed forces. In the giv:

- situation prevailing in Poland martia! 1a’

was the lesser of-the two evils. —-

We should bear in mind that what oc
curred in Poland is not a permanent tak-
ing away of people’s rights. Unions havé
been temporarily suspended, but as the
media reports, many aspects of marti
law have already been lifted and this
continue.

Obviously the aim of martial law is tO
permit the country to return to normalcy
and stability. And if counter-revolutio
ary elements continue to disrupt t
process, aided by U.S. imperialism a
some NATO forces, martial law wi
continue in defence of socialism: O
should not overlook the fact that i
perialism, having failed to bring abou
successful counter-revolution, is no
striving, through sanctions to destabili
the situation and keep Poland in a con”
stant state of instability. q

In Poland the Polish United Workers
Party admitted its mistakes and has be

_ working around the clock to correct

them. Is this the situation, for example,
in Canada? There are over one millio®
Canadians unemployed. Living stan
dards are declining. Is the government
either admitting or correcting these miS"__
takes? Would a Tory government? No,
these parties and the monopoly-owne@
media say the workers are responsi
for inflation and the crisis because th
want to protect their living standards 2
their jobs.

Isn’t there a difference here? We nee?
to show the class difference that’s if-
volved between mistakes made und

_tegral part of the capitalist system an!

never corrected by the capitalist class
except inso far as the working class i§
able to protect itself to some extent from
these ‘‘mistakes’’. :

We should remember these realities:
There is no abstract democracy 0
abstract rights for the working class eX°
cept those rights it is able to win throug!
its ceaseless struggles. 4