POLAND: Stalemate Continues
government and Solidarity seem anxious to avoid a_ clash, but the continuing protests inarease that risk.
Vehicles belonging to members of Solidarity still areajor downtown intersection in Warsaw, but the police are behavingestrained manner. The regime, nevertheless, has prepared for trouble by placing several units in the capital area on alert,elite Interior Ministry troops wearing field gear.
Premier Jaruzelski yesterday created an "anticrisls operational headquarters" that apparently haspowers to cut through the rigid bureaucracy on questions of production and distribution of goods. This step may be intended toemand by Solidarity that its experts be allowed to control production and distribution of food. The new headquarters, however, apparently also has eorae defense- and security-related functions because representatives of the Defense and internal Affairs Ministries are also included. fl|
Some Solidarity spokesman are trying to take an upbeat tone about the situation, but it is not certain they believe what they are telling the press. One for example, said that the union has weathered more serious contests than this one and thought that awas likely. H
There were strikes ines yesterday,wo-hour general strike is set for today in Warsaw. This will be the highpoint of the protests, which have been going on forays. The "blockade" in Warsaw may bo removed at the end of the strike, eliminating an immediate sore point.
The leadership of Solidarity has been successful in guiding the public's anger toward nonviolent methods. It must, however, get some concessions from thein the coming negotiations to win continued If the regime refuses to compromise, popular
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discontent, stimulated by pervasive dial-met of the party and government, may become difficult even for Solidarity to control, n
Soviet Reaction
Moscow yesterday for the first time published details of the current unrest in Poland. It cited the recent Polish Politburo statement warning of "the threat of conflictationwide scale" and implied that the situation could affect Polish defense and security tmw
The tone of Soviet media treatment suggests that Moscow may urge Warsaw to introduce strong measures, such as martial law, if calm cannot be restored quickly. The Soviets will see this as the first test of theof the new leadership to exercise the firm control Moscow wants.
Original document.
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