The World : Polish Communists Jolted

Poland’s Communist rulers were jolted when a traditionally allied party said it will join the Solidarity movement in voting against a Communist-led government. The parliamentary leader of the United Peasants’ Party, Alexander Bentkowski, said his deputies will vote against Premier Czeslaw Kiszczak when he presents a Cabinet to the National Assembly in two weeks. The Peasants’ Party controls 16% of the 460 seats in Parliament. Solidarity controls 161 seats, or 35%, meaning that the two groups could defeat Kiszczak’s efforts to form a government if they vote as a block. Meanwhile, Solidarity leaders in Gdansk said they will stage a one-hour stoppage in 470 factories Friday to protest food price boosts of up to 500% that the government imposed last week.