Polish paper publishes letters defending union

April 2, 1982

In the first public criticism of martial law, the state-run newspaper Zycie Warszawy published letters from workers saying the suspended Solidarity union cannot be blamed for Poland's economic disaster. The newspaper carried a full page of readers' letters on the still uncertain future of the labor movement. Polish analysts described the surprisingly open debate as an attempt by the regime ''to demonstrate openness and start a dialogue.''