Social Democratic Party Poland

The Polish Communist Party took the first steps toward dissolving itself Saturday and to lay the groundwork for members to become "social democrats" in "a new Polish party of the left." But the old Polish United Workers Party--as the party is formally known--took up nine hours of its congress entangled in a legal debate over how to pass on its property holdings to its successor.

The Polish Communist Party took the first steps toward dissolving itself Saturday and to lay the groundwork for members to become "social democrats" in "a new Polish party of the left." But the old Polish United Workers Party--as the party is formally known--took up nine hours of its congress entangled in a legal debate over how to pass on its property holdings to its successor.

Poland's Communist leaders met Saturday to prepare for what will probably be the last congress of their discouraged party, a meeting at which members will vote on a name change and create a new party from the remnants of the old one. The Communists are hoping to regain some credibility and hold on to what power and members they still have by shedding their past. A draft platform rejects long-held Communist slogans and says Stalinism was imposed from abroad.