European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 25, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page i d columns the stars and stripes Flora Lewis precarious conditions leave poles sceptical Warsaw Poland in principle Poland has made an enormous break through away from the failed system of communist monopoly and toward civil society which is How people Here name functioning democracy because the authorities abused the usual word so much for so Long. Leaders in the regime and he opposition see the new Steps As a watershed. Sodo Western diplomats but the people Aren t convinced. Macij Kilowski a Catholic editor in Krakow put it this Way it s a peace agreement without Conquest or surrender. Since there s no Victory nobody s Happy. We will have to persuade people to vote in partially free elections in june so it can find the tools to build a civil society and be done wish this system for Ever but we want to do it by evolution not  University students said they plan to abstain. They recognize he new agreement Between the regime and Soli Darity As an Advance but for us it s too Little one said. This regime Only wants to cling to Power not to improve the country s life. They give nothing not an Iota unless you protest and demand. Compromise won t  -. Most poles Are sceptical. They feel they be been tricked too Many limes. They la believe real change is coming when living standards Man going up. But the sad reality is that standards will probably continue going Down before economic reforms Lum things around and open the Way to the economic Mira Cle that is everybody s hop. T1iis country has Long been profoundly split Between us and them for years them meant the rulers and us everybody else. There has been a change encouraging in one Way but de pressing in another. The rulers who used to claim they represented the whole nation except for marginal dissidents now realize they Are a minority. They feel weak. They too now think in terms of them the other Anthony Lewis Side the people they imagine they have an inherent night to Rule thai is a major difference Between Poland and the soviet Union where reforms bin mandated from above in inc conviction thai it is Good for the country the required salvation. 1 Here far reaching Reform is demanded from below. Even those in the ruling Dass who see the inevitable necessity be grudge it As being forced not a National gain that will Benefit everyone and bring reconciliation. They Welcome what hey Cal less Emo Tion lower expectations than in the excited Days of 1980 when Solidarity first won recognition. Us demands then were far More modest than those in has exacted now but immediately after signing the agreement the regime began planning for martial Law. Imposed in december 1981, the entrenched feet seriously threat ened. It has been found that the base ment of the communist Headquarters in Krakow was turned into a Bunker with huge supplies of food and water to with stand a Long siege. A secret Tunnel leads to the so Viet consulate. The work was completed a few months ago what they dont tinder stand,11 said Kozlowski with a laugh is that they can go in their Bunker and no body would Ever come to get hem out but Solidarity feels weak lob. Just emerged from its Clandestine state it has Little of the political organization phones offices and Money needed for campaigning with elections six weeks ahead. It s having trouble recruiting candidates and there is harassment Al the local level.  absence of Public enthusiasm May make things easier for the regime in the Short term. But it also Means in will be a lot harder to provoke the spurt of nation Al Energy and acquiescence in still More sacrifice to spark economic growth. Daniel passant a reformist journalist who supports the government notes that the ruling minority can t tighten the belts of the majority in  thai s Why the regime finally accepted Solidarity it needs the help of the Leader Lech Walesa to win at least More patience from the people. But Walesa has outspoken critics who say he Jet himself be co opted to share responsibility for the economic crisis. .,.-".". The attitude of the West is  t Bush s offer of help was appreciated and Western Europe will Proba Bly contribute More. But strict conditions Are necessary to make sure the credits Aren t wasted again. Coming out of the system is a enormously Complex Uncertain opera Tion which the system itself is trying to run. It s Worth supporting Bill with close watch on developments. The temptations to undermine the end of an awful Era arc still Strong he Cvrk term Bush Fri us utilize Chance to reshape soviet policy when Solidarity was organized in Poland in.1980, we wondered whether the soviet Union could tolerate a Chal Lenge to total communist Power next door. The answer was no. Martial Law crushed the Experiment in december 1981. Now the polish government has agreed to share Power with Solidarity and there is no sign of objection from Moscow no ominous broadcasts no military Maneu vers across the Border. Izvestia has published a detailed straightforward account of the polish agreement the evident soviet acceptance of what i happening in Poland is an event of profound character. It renders obsolete any notion thai Mikhail Gorbachev is Only trying to deceive the world not to make serious changes in the soviet system. A soviet government that accept Power sharing in Poland is what the United states and its allies have wanted for 45 years. And now that in is there what is the . Government doing about the Evi Dence of dramatic change in Moscow essentially nothing. President Bush has reacted in the most grudging Way to the unfolding soviet drama. He and his spokesmen have made sceptical comments on one after another of Gorbachev s actions. Thev have spoken derisively of european Gorb mania As if euro peans were mesmerized by style without substance. When Gorbachev had an uncomfortable visit in cd Bailhe. Bush administration eluded him for not making a speech that told Fidel Castro to. Stop foreign adventures can anyone seriously believe that would  effective in any event it has been the sound object of . Policy for decades that the soviet Union should not dictate to its allies Poland for example Bush has declined to respond to major Gorbachev proposals on arms control because inc general foreign policy review he ordered upon taking office is still under Way that review has com to look More and More like an excuse for inertia and a Way of dousing Gorbachev Wilh cold water. Reports from Washington now have it thai the review teams Are Catling for Little change in american policy no real at tempt to use inc transformation in mos cow to shape a new soviet american relationship the review is said to recommend to big moves toward arms reduction for example and. No waiver of the Jackson Vanik restrictions on Trade with the so Viet Union. It All adds up 10 this. George Bush is turning away from an Opportunity of which his predecessors in the while House dreamed the Chance to write an end to the cold War already the political and military ten Sions that made up the cold War have been drained of much of their substance soviet oppression at Home and dicta Tion to neighbors have eased. No one believes that soviet troops Are about to March into Western Europe s regional differences Between the superpowers arc abating inc United Stales and the .s.r. Arc cooperating in Southern Africa � Bush and his foreign policy advisers seem to think thai any bold diplomatic move in superpower relations would be a favor to Gorbachev that is reducing superpower weaponry or taking Confidence building Mea sures would help Only the soviet Union not the United states. The premise is false. The .s.r.needs to Cut military expenditures so it can spend More on civilian needs  there arc also reasons to reduce Mili tary spending in America. Bush himself has identified a number of civilian areas where this country has to spend More for its own Security and Well being education for Onet and the environment. High on other lists is in creased civilian research and development. That Money is not Likely to come from anywhere except inc military budget. Realism requires lower military Bud gets and the american Public knows it. John Lehman who was president Rea Gan s hawkish Secretary of the Navy wrote in the new York times last month that the immediate soviet threat is much diminished and there is a result ing certainty of deep cuts below current. Pentagon plans Yel the president favors such things As the Rube Goldberg plan for shuttling my missiles around on railroads such extravagances Are out of Dale. Bush has taken useful Steps on some difficult foreign problems notably Nicaragua and inc Middle East. But if he turns away from inc task of building a new soviet american relation ship he will be missing he great Opportunity of his presidency