Faculty member obtains surveys
Czech polls reveal invasion opinions
By NILA WALKER
Kansan Staff Writer
Probably the only public opinion polls ever taken in a Communist country have been obtained and are now being analyzed by Jaroslaw Piekkiewicz, KU associate professor of political science.
The polls were conducted in Czechoslovakia prior to and immediately following the 1968 Russian invasion of that country. Piekaliewicz has been banned from Czechoslovakia for his plans to publish the results of the surveys.
Most of the 20 polls were taken between April 1968 and March
1969. The greatest number of polls were gathered between June and November 1968. Together they represent 400 pages of an extensive and comprehensive poll of a type usually forbidden in Communist countries,
Russia and four other Warsaw Pact nations invaded Czechoslovakia August 20 and 21, 1968, ending the liberal Dubcek regime which allowed the survey to be made.
"I WAS IN Czechoslovakia for one year to study local government and found out about a poll taken in 1968 on attitudes toward local government. I had great
difficulty getting permission to see the poll, but while searching for it I was asked if I would be interested in other polls taken which involved the whole population's attitude toward the Russians," said Piekalkiewicz.
For the rest of his stay Piekalkiewicz concentrated on finding the complete set of polls. About 100 persons in the top levels of different Czech organizations had seen the polls which were completed for internal circulation only. Probably no one outside Czechoslovakia had seen them. Piekalkiewicz said.
A star from the silent movie era, Buddy Rogers, returned to his alma mater for the KU Film Society showing of "My Best Girl" at 8 p.m. Thursday in Dyche Auditorium.
Movie star visits KU
Rogers, a native of Olathe, starred with Mary Pickford $ ^{1} $ in the only film they have ever made together.
Rogers attended KU in 1923 and 1924, majoring in journalism. But his father, an Olathe newspaperman, told him of auditions for a Paramount Studios acting school for ten men and ten women. Rogers said that he auditioned and "did the worst bit of acting ever recorded on film." Nevertheless, he was notified a month later that he had been accepted.
After finishing the acting course, and after several disappointments with "Beau Geste" and "Old Ironsides," he made his first professional film, "Wings."
Rogers also was nationally known for his musical ability. He played 12 instruments. He said that after the college-boy era had faded into the tough-guy period and his roles became smaller, he would travel with his band and make films intermittently.
The film was a trip to the past for more than Rogers. One lady who didn't want to "give away my age," talked of Rogers as an idol.
12 KANSAN Dec. 12 1969
"He married Mary Pickford after they made the movie together. And he was twenty years younger than she was, she said.
Rogers and Miss Pickford were married in 1937 and are still married to each other.
The lady added, "She wasn't the 'It' girl like Clara Bowe. She was just a sweet-type girl."
Effects of the Soviet Invasion of Czechoslovakia on East Europe," is being edited with the help of Edward Czerwinski, associate professor of Slavic language and literature at KU. The book includes one chapter dealing with desires of the people before the invasion and their attitudes and reactions to the invasion. The polls were used extensively for this information.
I KNEW I had found a gold mine," Piekalkiewcz said. "I spent two weeks day and night copying them by hand and on a machine which photographed the papers. I ran out of developing fluid and had to make my own."
A SECOND BOOK, "The Political Opinion in a Communist Country-Czechoslovakia." will be an exclusive treatment of the polls with a concluding chapter speculating on public opinion in other countries of Eastern Europe. Both books should be completed by the fall of 1970.
The surveys were organized and conducted by professional poll takers contacted from various organizations such as the Czech Communist party and university sociology departments, plus statisticians from the Academy of Sciences.
CHARTING OF DUBCEK'S popularity shows 52 per cent support on March 24-28, 1968, which was three months after he became First Secretary.
ANOTHER SURVEY OF 487
These men trained workers, designed a pilot study polling about 200-250 persons, evaluated that survey and adjusted that poll in accordance with their findings to prepare for the major polling.
NONE OF THE polls have yet been published, but Piekaliewicz is working on two books which will incorporate the findings of the surveys. One of them, "The Year of the Bear, 1968-1969: The
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persons conducted from July 8-
19, 1968, asked "If the election took place now, how would you vote?" Results: Communist Party-25 per cent, Socialist Party-
50 per cent, People's Party-25 per cent. A coalition of the Socialist and People's parties would have held 75 per cent of the vote and would have been an undisputable political force.