Kashtan reviews st Members of the Communist Party of Canada from throughout Metro Toronto and points in southern Ontario met on Sunday, Dec. 20 to hear party leader William Kashtan review the situation in Poland, evaluate the measures of the Polish United Workers’ Party and the Military Council of National Salva- tion, and express the Canadian Communist Party’s responses. Members expressed opinions and raised questions for clarification. Extensive excerpts from Kashtan’s remarks appear here along with the full text of a recent party statement. The crisis in Poland has been brewing for about 18 months and has now come to a head. What are the factors that brpught about this crisis? It has to do with the fact that in achieving working- class power in Poland, the Polish United Workers’ Party (PUWP) did not fully complete the socialist revolution. Socialist industry was developed in the cities, while capitalist agriculture remained in the countryside. And this has been a continuing problem for socialism in Po- land, because. sooner or later one system or the other has to win out. The PUWP took the decision to approach agriculture differently than other socialist countries have done. In- stead of collectivization, they decided the land would only go over to the state on the death of the farmer — if the family agreed. It was a perspective of capitalism and socialism operating in Poland for a long time. This had its own consequences . . industrialization, the shortage of labor led to bringing sons and daughters of the peasants into the cities, but with private property concepts, capitalist concepts. Many of the present difficulties have to do with this process which lowered the degree of class conscious- ness of the Polish working class. Vast Economic Pian A second area of questions for the PUWP and _ government had to do with economic policy. The government undertook a vast economic program, and instead of waiting till they had sufficient capital accumulation to develop industry in Poland, they went to the Western banks. They took loans ... it’s now $28-billion and every day the interest on this amount _Tises. = MM “When socialist ideology ceases to struggle for its concepts, capitalist ideas win out.” UOUEDEEEUUETESUETEUUELECUETE EA EE PUATEETE They did not give sufficient attention to solving the agricultural problem, which meant to solve the problem of food for the people in the cities. The difficulty was _ added to by the vast modernization program of industry. in the cities based on the idea of selling to the capitalist _ world. But the capitalist world went into a slump and the goods they could produce in Poland weren’t purchased. : A third place where the PUWP fell down had to do _ with the ideological struggle. When socialist ideology _ eases to struggle for its concepts and ideas, capitalist ideas win out. Under earlier conditions when a revision- ist wave afflicted the PUWP it decided to liquidate the Young Communist League. They set up young work- ers’, young peasants’, young women’s, and young sol- _diers’ organizations, but none had as its aim to win _ and educate the young generation in the ideas of Marx- ism-Leninism. __ In addition the church wields great influence on the _ population. That meant that insofar as the PUWP les- sened its ideological struggle, others would advance _ their ideology. Agreement with Solltaitty : - Faced with a serious economic crisis, the PUWP de- cided on price reforms because there was a disparity _ between prices charged and cost of production. It would _ have led to a lowering of incomes ... and there was _ strong resistance to that by the people. The mistake the PUWP made . .. was that it did not _ take the question to the people and explain why it was necessary to adjust prices. Later it was compelled to __ propose again the raising of prices. Inthe latter period this _ led to the emergence of Solidarity as a mass movement. _ At the same time there are the Branch unions which __ include public service workers, professionals am so on PACIFIC TRIBUNE—JAN. 8, 1982—Page 4 . with the process of: POLAND and have, pecenging to figures today, five million mem- bers. After considerable discussion . .. there was an agree- ment made with Solidarity, based on three-points: One: Solidarity. would recognize the Polish .United Workers’ Party as the leading force in the state and in the building of socialism. _ ,Two: Solidarity would support the building of social- ism. Three: They would support the Warsaw Treaty rela- tionship between Poland and other Warsaw Treaty — countries, which is the only guarantee for the in- dependence of Poland and for its territorial integrity. Part of the agreement with Solidarity was the right to strike. It was equally agreed that when workers struck they would get 100% of théir income. But in conditions of strike after strike, with the work- ers being paid, they are creating the conditions for mas- sive inflation because they’re not producing goods. Under capitalist conditions when you strike . .. you’re fighting to get a better share of the surplus value that you create. In socialism when you strike, there may be a legitimate grievance, but in the end you’re undermining production and creating difficulties for the economy. The aim of the party and government was to overcome the mistakes. The party had stated at this period of crisis that it had lost the confidence of the working class of Poland. That's a terrible admission to make. But it ad- mitted it had made serious mistakes, and its 9th Congress undertook to correct them. Western Capital The government, the party were faced with the prob- lem of trying to overcome the crisis, and the leadership of Solidarity were orienting on pulling strike after-strike to prevent the crisis from being overcome. - The aim was quite clear..It was to create a condition of chaos in the country so that there would be such an upheaval of opposition by the public as would lead to the overthrow of the government, the party and their re- placement by some other force with some other aims. The last Solidarity convention, for example: called for large-scale admission of Western capital to undermine the socialist character of the economy ... wanted to transfer state lands to the private sector ... wanted control over the government's economic activities. ... As was stated by the media, tapes were found which showed the kinds of discussions taking place in the Sol- idarity leadership, the aim of which was to establish a provisional government . . to move toward capitalist restoration. The Soviet Union went out of its way to extend assis- tance to the Polish Government, the Polish people: and the Polish United Workers’ Party in the form of material assistance ... including raw materials necessary for ges of Poland’s crisis Military foiled counter-revolution __ to purchase food. What is being done is a form of i inter TRIBUNE PHOTO — MIKE PHILLIPS KASHTAN ... “the party had stated at this period of crisis” that it had lost the confidence of the working class in | Poland”. Polish production. . ..On the other hand the reaction circles of U.S. imperialism moved heaven and earth to” undermine socialism and tear Poland away from the | Warsaw Pact. A decisive stage of the struggle against counter oa olution and in defence of socialism has been reached. AS___ a result of the Military Council’s action socialism has been saved in Poland. President Reagan says that the USA is withholding money which was going to be made available to Pola ference in the internal affairs of Poland. — ! Prime Minister Trudeau was more’ far-seeing than Reagan. He put it on the line, ... events in Poland are internal matter ... the action taken bythe military i directed to prevent: civil war ...and Canada will continu its aid program in the way of food for Poland. The question we communists are faced with is the defence of socialism in Poland which is very closely tied in with defence of peace on a world scale. Events in Poland show that the enemies of socialism never give up and therefore, vigilance, a correct policy in winning people’s support is essential . For Canadian Communists the important thing is to have ideological clarity in the party, and on this basis to patiently explain to working people what is involved in this struggle. Back socialist Poland — CPC In a statement adopted by its Central Executive Committee, December. 17, the Communist Party of Canada expressed its support for measures taken by Po- land’s Military Council of Na- tional Salvation, beginning with the institution of martial law, on December 13. The formation of the Military Council of National Salvation in Po- land represents a decisive stage in the struggle to defeat the publicly exposed plans for counter-revolu- tion and civil war in Poland, which could trigger off war in Europe. This . action by the Military Council makes socialism secure and saves peace in Europe and in the world. The howls of rage emanating from the reactionary quarters of U.S. im- perialism, external counter-revolu- tion and the mass media which is striving to build up mass hysteria, shows that while these forces have suffered a serious setback, they have not given up their aims. These in- clude economic sanctions and other forms of intervention against People’s Poland, with the aim of bringing it to its knees. In this critical situation right-wing social democracy in Canada, wit- tingly or unwittingly, is playing the game of imperialism. Our party supports the measures of the Military Council of National Salvation, all of which are directed to stabilize the situation in Poland. We stand with the Polish United Workers Party in defence of social- ism. : Our party notes the declaration of the Military Council that the mea- sures taken are temporary, that the reforms will be maintained, and that the suspension of the unions is also temporary. Members of the Communist Party are called upon to patiently explain and clarify what is involved in Po- land, the defence of socialism, its independence and_ territorial in- tegrity, the defence of peace in Europe and in the world. In line with — ‘ this the party calls for ‘‘Hands Off Socialist Poland’’. : The CPC calls upon the labor anda democratic movements to onpeat the imposition of economic sanc- — tions against Poland which U.S. im- ~ perialism may force the Canadian Government to undertake. The Communist Party calls upon | imperialist — intervention in the internal affairs of — f them to oppose USS. Poland. The aims of U.S. imperial- ism are not the aims of the working people, of democracy, peace and so~ cial progress. Imperialism has never _ given up its aims of subversion and § destruction of socialism. .The labor — and democratic movement should — condemn such intervention which — endangers peace. The Communist Party is confident § that the PUWP, the government and — the Polish people will overcome the — crisis, and that Poland will remain — socialist, a member of the Warsaw _ Treaty and a vital force for peace, in Europe and in the world.