The World - News from Nov. 8, 1987

Solidarity founder Lech Walesa and 45 union leaders and intellectuals convened a “council of Poland” in Warsaw to discuss a Nov. 29 referendum on political and economic changes in Poland. Walesa told the group that Poles will have only as much freedom “as we can take for ourselves, hold firmly and defend.” Participants said a summary of the views expressed would be issued before the referendum. Poland’s Communist government has scheduled the nation’s first nationwide referendum in 41 years to ask the people if they favor plans for radical economic reform and if they want “a Polish model of democratization.” Solidarity has asked Poles to ignore the referendum, calling it propaganda by a discredited government.