U.S. Retaliates, Prepares to Expel 4 Polish Envoys

The United States, retaliating for the expulsion of two American diplomats from Poland today, prepared to throw four Poles out of the country, U.S. officials said.

Zadzislaw Ludwiczak, the ranking Polish diplomat in Washington, was summoned to the State Department to be informed of the U.S. sanctions.

Customarily, diplomats are expelled on a one-for-one basis. Expelling four Poles was seen as an expression of strong U.S. distaste for the communist government’s action in Warsaw.

The two Americans, David Hopper and William Harwood, were accused today of hindering the process of Polish stabilization and given seven days to leave.

The State Department said the U.S. Embassy “vigorously protested” and categorically rejected “the ludicrous allegations” of the Polish Foreign Ministry.

“We can only assume that the Polish government “is trying to cover up abuse of diplomatic personnel,” said Edward Djerejian, a State Department spokesman. He denied Polish charges that the Americans were taking part in an illegal pro-Solidarity May Day parade.

Poland accused both U.S. diplomats of leading an anti-government protest in the southern city of Nowa Huta on Wednesday in support of the outlawed Solidarity union, the official news agency PAP said.

The expulsion was the second by Poland of U.S. diplomats this year. On Feb 25 Poland expelled the military attache to the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, Col. Frederick Meyer and his wife, Barbara, on charges of photographing military installations.