The polarization in p-Be and p-p scattering has been measured by counter techniques at a proton kinetic energy of 1.74 GeV. The maximum polarization in p-Be scattering was found to bePmax==0.19±0.04 and occurs at an angleθmax⩾3.5°. Inelastic scatters were rejected when the inelastic momentum loss was more than about 1% in the first scatter (magnetic analysis) or more than about 5% in the second scatter (Cerenkov threshold counter). The maximum polarization in p-p scattering isPmax=0.30±0.09 and occurs at an angle 35°<θmax<<55° (c.m.). The angular dependence of the polarization is consistent with a distribution proportional to sin 2θ within large statistical errors. Optical model calculations applied to the data on p-Be scattering yield an almost all imaginary central potential of about 43 MeV and a spin-orbit potential of between 0.9 MeV and 2.0 MeV which is also almost all imaginary, in contrast with the predominantly real spin-orbit potential needed to explain the large polarization in the region of several hundred MeV.