of troops and police, the murder and imprisonment of candidates, the denial of the right of putting up candidates, the threatening of voters-the whole rotten business was exposed in detailed despatches. And, except for PM, there was no hypocritical pretense that this sort of thing is good enough for the people of Eastern Europe. The Poles were pictured as they really are-as eager for the rights of democracy, suffering for lack of them and willing to sacrifice safety and life in order to secure them. What has happened in Poland presents a tough problem to the American Government. There is no question about public opinion in this country. There is only one criterion for a free world-and that is freedom. Where it flourishes, there we wish to be its defenders. Where it is crushed-as it is in Poland-we remain uncompromising critics. This in itself is far from futile. Even in a world divided by an iron curtain, public opinion will in the end have its effect. But the editorials published far and wide during the past few days show how hard we are put to it to suggest any practical action calculated to influence the course of events in Poland and other lands within the Soviet orbit. Many editors content themselves with vigor- . ous expression of disapproval. Others, under the .compulsion to suggest action, urge the withdrawal of our embassy or the denial of loans. Both these suggestions are much to the point. 1 Another would be that the American delegation force the whole matter to the attention of the United Nations. Such a move would bring no immediate practical results, but it would keep the subject on the agenda of world discussion. It would force the Soviet Government and its satellites to face up to their misdeeds. It would consolidate the democratic forces on a world basis. And such a consolidation would, eventually, force the issue in the direction of a solution. The New Leader. 1 The reader is referred to the opinion expressed on the subject by Mr. Zygmunt Zulawski in his interview with Mr. Liston Oak, The publishers §hare M, Zulaw&ki's opinion, 6 BibliotecaGino Bianco
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