The scene was Warsaw's renovated, horseshoe-shaped Parliament Hall. One by ore, the members walked to a wicker basket in front of the speaker's dais to vote in Poland's first postwar presidential election. Everyone knew that the winner would be Boleslaw Bierut, who for 24 months had been the Communist-stooge Provisional President.
Midway in the voting, rolypoly Speaker Wladislaw Kowalski rang for order. Gravely he announced: "Some of you have been putting ballots into the basket openly. This is a secret vote. You must fold your ballots, so your choice cannot be seen."
The irony was not lost on the Parliament's few...
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