THE POLARIZATION AND NUCLEAR-STRUCTURE OF THE BROAD ABSORPTION-LINE QSO CSO-755

CSO 755 is a bright (V = 17), strongly polarized (P(V) = 3.9%) broad a bsorption line quasar which has shown no evidence for polarimetric var iability over a baseline of 3.5 yr. As such, it provides an ideal oppo rtunity for probing the structure and origin of polarization in BALQSO s. A strongly polarized continuum and unpolarized emission lines indic ate that the polarization of CSO 755 arises by scattering very near th e central source. Either dust grains or spectrally neutral scattering particles like electrons are viable; the latter case requires an addit ional source of continuum dilution. The polarimetric properties of CSO 755 and PHL 5200 (as derived by Stockman et al.) provide strong suppo rt for a model which explains the class as those QSOs which are viewed from near the plane of a dense gas/dust torus surrounding the central source and broad emission line region.