USSR-POLAND: Suslov ln Warsaw
tna communique ieeueaigh level Coviet partysudden trip to Uareou yesterday suggests timt the Poles did not promise suck and that the Soviets aero not satisfied vith what they heard. MM
The Sovietby Politburo member and senior ideologuewith Polish party chief Kania and other Politburo members to discuss the Central Committee plonum and current movement toward liberalization in the Polish party. The absence in the communique of any Soviet expression of confidence in the Poles' ability to solve their own problems or of the usual reference to tho "unity of views" or "common approach" of the two sides hints that they did not sea eye-to-eye.
Suslov's was the first announced visit to Polandoviet Politburo member that was directly linked withmonth-long crisis. The choice ofveteran hardliner, who warned at the recent East German party congress that "any deviation" from Marxism-Leninism brings direthat the Kremlin wanted toessage to the Polish leaders urging them to rein in party liberalization and delay the extra-ordlnary party congress scheduled to take place by mid-July
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This message was apparent in the reference in the communique that the Soviets support the Polish Communists' efforts to strengthen theiron the ideological basis of Marxism-Leninism." Fromespeciallyof view, most of tho reforms now being proposed by the Polish rank and file violate this basis.
The Polos, for tho first timeoviet-Polish document, admitted that they hove to overcome theof the party's "departure from the principles
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of scientific socialism,*' Kania and otner Polishhowever, have often used such phrases whilethe shortcomings of former party leader Gierek and, in effect, offered the Soviets nothing new. Polish Central Committee propaganda chief Klasa told reporters last night that the Polish Communist leadership hopes to change some of Suslov's views, sxass
He believe that Kania would have strongly resisted any attempts by Suslov to get him to postpone the Central Committee plenum or the party congress or retreat from his earlier promise to institute reforms within the party. Kania realizes that to agree to any of these would cost him his credibility within the party and widen the divisions that already exist between the rank and file and party leadership. ^mma
Kania, however, iselicate political balancing act, and Suslov'j visit may have strengthened his hand in resisting pressures for radical reform. He can now argue even more forcefully that too many and too precipitous changes will not be acceptable to Moscow and that gradual, systematic reform is necessary, fl
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