MEMORANDUM OF DEBRIEFING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00429A000100110011-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 12, 2000
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: November 4, 1963
• Content Type: MEMO

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4 November 1963
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MEMORANDUM OF DEBRIEFING
1. Today chief of EE
Division and a Division's Polish
analyst met with U.S. Ambassador Cabot, who was in
Washington from Warsaw for consultations.
2. Ambassador Cabot was asked to comment on
church-state relations in Poland, the popular mood,
and on party political infighting.
3. He said that he felt that the campaign
against the Roman Catholic Church in Poland was and
would be continuous, because Gomulka probably be-
lieves in "snipping a root" whenever possible in
hopes that the "tree will eventually fall." He
ascribed as the major reason Gomulka's abhorence of
another power center in the country other than the
Communist Party. Finally, he said, Cardinal Wyszynski's
sermons and other public remarks have a great deal of
weight in a country which is 90 percent Catholic, and
his recent remarks have not been kind. For instance,
he cited one sermon in which the Cardinal accused party
officials of "living high on the hog." It caused an
enormous reaction both outside and within the regime.
4. Mr. Cabot also said that the popular mood in
Poland, although characterized by a great deal of dis-
satisfaction and grumbling was "not near the flash
point." As reasons he ascribed the government's dis-
graceful performance during the difficult winter of
1962-1963, when regime plans went completely awry.
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Furthermore, he said, food is not too plentiful) prices
have been rising, wages have not beEnrising, and there
are all the problems attendant on the perennial shortage
of foreign exchange. Prospects for this winter, he
added, were somewhat better, as the government seemed
to be making some preparations.
5. As to political jockeying within the party,
the Ambassador asserted that Gomulka remains master
of the situation, and has faced no serious challenge.
Things are not going well in general, however, and
outstanding problems remain unsolved. He emphasized
that the problem of Germany is foremost in Gomulkats
mind, and in this context, that Gomulka has again under-
taken to mediate the Sino-Soviet dispute, taking pains
to "keep the lid on" and to prevent overly emotional
reactions. As a good Communist, Gomulka has a practical
fear that the Chinese Communists will carry the dispute
outside circumscribed limits which would be damaging
to the bloc, and would put Khrushchev on the defensive
on two fronts. He is wary about the growing power of
Germany and feels that in a two-front situation that
Polandts intersts might well be sacrificed in a new
Rappallo.
6. When asked whether he detected signs of
deteriorating relations between Poland and the United
25X1A States., he said no, and added that those incidents cited
by all had reasonable explanations of
their own. He said, for instance, that he agreed with
the Polish assessment that a proposal in October for a
visit to Poland by Vice President Johnson would be
dangerous, both from an internal point of view, as well as
from the point of view of exposing Poland to criticism from
the other bloc nations.
7. There has been a retrogression in Poland,
he said, but it is gradual, and he pointed out that
we frequently take note of movements backwards while
we fail to notice the "slow ooze forward." As an example,
he said that his Embassy staff had told him that "we are
getting away with more" in the cultural area now than ever
before.
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