Polish leader urges | workers to return By CONRAD KOMOROWSKI Striking workers in Poland have been urged to return to work with a pledge that wages, family allowances and meat supplies would be improved and that economic reforms would be undertaken. Edward Gierek, first secretary of the Polish United Workers Party, made the pledge Monday in a televised speech after a meeting of the PUWP political bureau. . However, he warned that efforts by a small group to stretch temporary economic difficulties into demands for basic political changes, would be rebuf- NEWS ANALYSIS _ fed. He pointed out that outside groups have been quick to try to exploit prob- lems for their own purposes and that this could not be tolerated. “There are limits that must not bé overstepped by anyone,” Gierek said. “These limits are marked by Poland’s reason for being. Only a socialist Po- land can be a free and independent state with inviolable frontiers.” Gierek stressed that ina. socialist country, strikes are no solution for the tough problems that face the whole na- tion and which can be solved only by cooperation for the benefit of all. Referring directly to attempts to exploit grievances of shipyard work- ers by ‘‘anti-socialist’’ elements, . Gierek firmly declared- that nobody should count on ‘‘compromise and sur- render”’ by Poland to their “‘political demands.”’ : “anti-socialist elements The Polish leader was referring particularly to the activities of a self- styled ‘‘Workers Defense Committee”’ Polish unions workin By CONRAD KOMOROWSKI Poland’s Central Council of Trade ‘Unions (CCTU) has taken far-- reaching actions to cope with the situa- tion there. rs After a report on Wednesday by CCTU chairman Jan Szydlak and rep- . resentatives of the metal, municipal, textile, clothing, rail, and other unions, the CCTU executive approved - the wage increases granted by the government. It endorsed the criticism of the CCTU and of affiliated trade union NEWS ANALYSIS bodies that they had not sufficiently - implemented the demands made by workers in the plants, mines and other enterprises. The execitive stressed that the overriding duty of all trade union | bodies must be more effective activity on behalf of workers’ interests. The ac- tivities of all trade union organizations must be subordinated to fulfilling this — responsibility. The executive also declared that the present socio-economic situation calls for a speedy and efficient carry-- (KOR) which has been in contact with correspondents of foreign newspapers in Poland. Although KOR has negligi- ble influence over the strikers, it has presumed to speak for the strikers and to inject its own political slogans. The New York Times acknowl- - edged Tuesday: “It is not clear how. many of the demands originated with the strikers or how many from the dis- sidents.”’ It is known, however, that the strikers’ demands were mainly economic. The Washington Post reported Tuesday that at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdansk, only a relative handful were still keeping up the occupation of the -yard, about 1,000 out of-16,000). - It was at this shipyard that an agreement had been signed Saturday, ending the strike after a wage increase and other provisions had been reached. However, a small minority has violated the agreement. KOR has also circulated provoca- tive rumors about Polish troops being sent to the shipyard centers and lies about alleged threats of ‘“‘Soviet inter- vention.” Militia units have been keep- ing transport and communications operating where they had been halted, and in supplying milk, bread, other © foodstuffs, and necessary supplies to schools, hospitals, and so on. Other strikes The shipyard strikes along the Bal- tic seacoast, which have affected a ‘possible 50,000 ‘workers,’ are part of ‘a group of strikes which broke out in a few parts of Poland since July 1. At that time, certain types of meat _ were assigned to specialty shops where higher prices are charged. At _ the same time, the price of meat at the regular butchér shops, at factory and ids presented by work crews. In this connection, the executive __ Stressed that the trade unions should make full use of their powers in rela- ~ tion to factory management represen- tatives who disregard the opinions and demands of work crews. : Unions must decide Laxity had crept into the role of the trade unions in relation to the shaping of the government’s social policy, the executive self-critically acknowledged It declared that no important deci- sions, particularly in relation to earn- — ings, prices, the cost of living, and the level of old age anddisability pensions, _ -_ Can be taken in the future without the consent of the trade unions. ; In order to ensure that effective measures are being taken to improve market supplies and prevent any wor- ' sening of the living standard, the’ executive agreed to set up a trade union commission to control the cost of living and the level of earnings. In addition, a draft law on the trade — unions is to be prepared and submitted to extensive discussion by work crews before action is taken on it by the Sejm (parliament). In order to increase the influence of the work crews on the run- First Secretary of the Polish Unit school restaurants;at hospitals, and so on, was kept at the subsidized low price in effect for more than 10 years. The price of meat in the specialty stores was raised from $1.33 to $2-a kilogram — which is 2.2. pounds. This . makes the price per pound less than $1. As a result of the improved stan- dard of living in Poland, the consump- tion of meat has increased almost twofold since 1960, from 42.5 kilos a person to 73. At the-same time, wages have increased, on the average, 60 per- cent since 1970. However, discrepancies and in- equalities in wages, problems with meatless Mondays, and long ‘lines at stores, have persisted, as Gierek ac- knowledged in his television talk. In order to raise the standard of living quickly, the government undertook extensive purchases abroad, from which the population has considerably benefited. But the result was adebt. As g for improve ing out of the justified and feasibie ning of the plants, factories and other work establishments, a draft of anew law on workers’ self-management will be prepared. - a In response to a situation which has : evoked sharp criticism, the executive declared that it is of basic importance that the principle of social justice must be: universally observed and consid- ered equally binding on everyone, re- gardless of post held. A special convention of the CCTU ~ will be held at an early date, at which the fullest discussion of the situation - will take place. : _ Action by the CCTU reflects the criticism made by Edward Gierek, ’ first secretary of the Polish United Workers Party (PUWP), ina televised speech on Tuesday. Gierek said, ‘‘We are aware that, besides numerous objective factors, a Serious role was played by mistakes in the economic policy. In many sectors,. practice was out of tune with the provi- sions of the Party’s post-December policy.”’ The ‘‘post-December policy” refers to the change of policy after the December, 1970, events, when strikes againsty stagnant economic policies” and increased prices brought about a change in government and party orkers Party, Edward Gierek, in a nationally | televised speech, said that conditions for workers will be Improved but that the fimits of those conditions “are marked by Poland’s reason for being. Only a socialist! : Poland can be a free and independent state with inviolable frontiers.” - establishments. attempts of irresponsible individuals, _ anarchic and anti-socialist groups to . q Prmier Edward Babiuch said on tele vision last Friday, the Polish peoplé) are living on credit. . - Purchases of foreign grain and fot) der, for example, at inflational prices, have caused severe economilt problems. It has been known for a long) time that the problem of subsidizing food prices could not be continued. Tht government repeatedly warned thi only increased productivity could) offér ‘a solution to basic economit problems. ts . Strikes among sanitation, bus, 2 other workers in- July were settled. Wage increases granted in Lublin av- eraged 15 percent, in the textile city ol) Lodz, 10-15 percent, and among metél| and machinery workers in the Gdansk ~ area, 20 to 30 percent. + -. Other areas of Poland were not by fected by strikes, particularly coal-mining area, Krakow, Radom -and Kielce. Oo . ace ae tensify worker democracy by wav @ extending the self-dependence of wo! In addition, Gierek stated fhat the goverment’s decision to freeze thé prices of meat and meat products until the autumn of 1981 will be fully im plemented. Price controls on goods, especially those of basic importance? — workers’ families, will be tightened) In relation to the class trade union movement, Gierek said that a critical) attitude is taken toward the symptoms) of bureaucracy which have been ex) posed and the gap that has developed| in relations with the masses of people. | He stressed that ‘even in conflicl’ situations, we try to find solutions) through discussion and a dialogue, through compromises _and| agreements.”’ ; He stressed, however, that @ dangerous aspect of the developmen in some of the work establishments the Gdansk and Szczecin area “‘are the exploit work stoppages and excited moods of workers for political ends.