Moderates on the defensive
"He was a symbol for all liberals in 1 the party. He was the symbol of hope that it could change." The subject of that description by a Polish journalist was Stefan Bratkowski, 47, one of the Polish Communist Party's leading advocates of cooperation with the independent Solidarity union and the Roman Catholic Church. Bratkowski's liberalism cost him his party membership last week.
The decision, revealed at a highly charged Central Committee meeting, comes as a blow to those who hope a reasonable compromise is still possible between the embattled party and the increasingly militant,...