World Notes

First Poland expelled two U.S. diplomats it charged had taken part in May Day demonstrations outside Cracow. Then the State Department struck back by sending four Polish diplomats packing. Last week the Polish government retaliated by cutting off the "Hamburger Specials," flights from Frankfurt that every two months brought in comforts for the U.S. embassy staff, from toothpaste to grade-A ground sirloin, as well as mail and packages from home. The shipments were allowed into Poland without the usual rigorous customs inspection.

The special flights date back to 1957, when U.S.-Polish relations were more amicable. But, said the Polish government announcement last week, "continuation of this particular privilege would be difficult in view of the discriminatory treatment our country receives daily from the U.S. & Administration." The U.S. is powerless to reciprocate beause Polish diplomats in Washington only have to go to their local A&P to do their food shopping. Said U.S. Embassy Spokesman Paul Smith: "We will manage to get by." The inconvenience will not last long: the embassy is arranging to have rations trucked in from West Germany.