FOREIGN RELATIONS, 1.9 4 (, VOLUME VI



  As to the referendum Modzelewski said that it has a political pur-
pose: To ascertain the position of the various parties. He said the
referendum would contain three points (1) are you in favor of a
Chamber and Senate or of only a Chamber (2) are you in favor of
the principles of the Agrarian Reform Law and the decrees of na-
tionalization of industry being embodied in the new Constitution
(3) are you in favor of the frontier of Poland up to the Oder and
Dnieper [Neisse] Line being stable. Answers to all three questions
will be ves or no.
  Modzelewski said that although all six parties are in agreement
that referendum should be held they are not all agreed on the ques-
tions which are to be submitted to the people. For instance he said
that Popiel's 20 Labor Party is in favor of a bicameral Congress. He
said that this referendum would be freely held and would probably
be in June the date to be definitely fixed at forthcoming meeting
of KRN.
  As to holding of elections to which the referendum will be a preface
AModzelewski said firmly that Poland has no intention not to live up
to its Yalta and Potsdam commitments and that I could assure the
Department that free elections -will be held. He expressed his un-
official view that they will be held in October. He said that it would
not be possible to hold the elections until after the harvest as it was
desirable that the population should not be starving at the time of
the elections. H-e said that the PriZAin will in his address to the KIRN
discuss elections and that they would also undoubtedly be discussed
bv the KRN but he said he could not definitely state whether the date
of elections will be fixed at the forthcoming meeting of the KRN or
later. He said that Mikolajczyk's party desires to have the elections
concurrently with the referendum or immediately thereafter but that
a majority of the KRN would undoubtedly vote for a date in the
Autumn.
  As Modzelewski indicated that he had fully answered my questions
I reminded him of the Dept's request that Polish Govt make state-
ment reaffirming its Potsdam commitments and that this statement
should be published throughout Poland. Modzelewski said that this
was a matter which he personally could not decide but that he would
be glad to submit it to the Council of Ministers which meets next
Thursday April 25 and that he would notify me of the Council's de-
cision either Friday or Saturday following.
  He said that a draft electoral law has been prepared by the elec-
toral committee of the KRN and that this will be submitted to the
KRN for its approval. He promised to send me unofficially a copy

" Karol Popiel, President of the Executive Committee of the Labor Party
(Stronnietwo Pracy)-SP.



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