The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-26
TO FIGHT KONTA'S
LOYALTY LEAGUE
committee on Magyar Democ-
racy Says Crcel Has Been
Misled.
WOULD UNITEINSURGENTS
Leader Says Other Body Is
Playing Into Hands Of Aus
trian Junkers.

The Committee on Magyar Democracy,
ny organization which aims to line up
substantial part OF the 100000 Hun
rlrans in the United States with the
1'zecha-S lovaks. Jugoslavs and other
insurgent elements against the junker
autocracy OF the dual monarchy. began
fl campaign yesterday against Alexan-
der konta and his American Hungarian
LOYALTY League. The Loyalty League has
been pet project OF George Creel.
chairman OF the Committee on Public
Information.
The committee, through the Rev. Or.
Frank Kovacs. pastor of the First Hun
garian Presbyterian Church OF Newark,
,harsed that Konta's league has not been
sincere in its protessed efforts to CEN
,rallze the patriotic work OF Hungarians
here in support OF this country's war
,lans and that the league has actively
opposed Magyars in this country who
wish their country freed and Czecho-
Slnvaks who seek independence.
Or Koyacs said that konta has had
tho support Of but few Hungarians in
promoting his league but he appeared so
powerful because of the public approval
given his work by the chairman Of the
committee on Public Information that
his opponents were reluctant to voice
their opposition. in fear that they might
I've suspected OF dlsloyalty to- the United
states.
DR., Kovacs said that the first large
enterprise Of the committee on Magyar
democracy would be a mass meeting ~
which Mr.. Creel will be invited
says konta Ia Mistrusted.
Despite all his efforts since February
Mr. Konta has been able 90 induce only
10000 Hungarians to Join his league"
said the Rev. DIR. Kovacs. our people
IN this country have mstrusted him.
From his speeches and from the men as
ISOLATED with him they have derived the
idea that he is opposed to the democrati-
zation and partial disintegration of the
Austro- Hungarian Empire. and hence
was the friend of the German-Maygar
autocracy now in control. We could not
understand how a man who voiced the
sentiments he did could have the sup
mort of tine Government OF the United
States. We feel that Mr.. Creel has been
mised"
In the statement given out for the
organization ii was said that evidence
relating to the conduct OF the Hungarian
Loyalty League was given to one OF the
Government investigating bureaus
week ago. The statement follows:
Attention was called in our report to
the Government to the circumstance that
Mr. Konta's activities as president OF
the league were directed toward pre-
venting Hungarians in this country from
contributing in an active. aggressive
manner to the war efforts Of the Ameri-
can nation. Hungar!ans were told that
by paying their dollar initiation fee into
the leagues treasury they discharged
their war duties in full. A standing adj
yertisement of the league published in
Observation-Disclosures newspapers, con-
tains the sentence. Whoever is loyal to
America becomes n member of the 10y
atty League and proves his allegiance
to the United States by his membership
card
Used German BywOrd.
on the other hand the league has
been working directly against the war
aims of America and her allies by
preaching to Hungarians the Magyar
Jingoistic doctrine of the 'thousand-year-
old Magyar national state which is the
well known euphemism used by pro-
German propagandists for Junker rule
ana the oppression OF the non Magyar
races.
Moreover, Mr.. Konta has been work
i'g hard to foster distrust and hatred
between Magyars in this country, and
ne representatives or the Czecho-
Slovaks and the Jugoslavs. In a speech
before league members at Chicago March
- MT NOHtd NdTdilbbcu III hcrCo teTiiih
against our real enemy. the Slovak
League Even as late as August ) in
an address at a BANQUET given in his
honor at the Hotel Astor Mr.. Konta in
duged in a violent outburst against the
Czecho-Slovaks and urged Hungarians
10 enlist in the league and thereby en-
able him to combat Czecho-Slovak in
Nuence at Washington.
1T will be the aim Of the committee
n ~
these insidious activities, to conduct an
educational campaign among Austro-
ilungarians on the war aims OF America
and her allies, and to establish coopera-
ion with the representatives of the
Czecho-Slovaks and Jugoslavs in help
ing TO destroy the tyranny Of the Haps-
ourgs and the Austro-M Magyar Junkers."
The dinner in honor Of Konta referred
IN vas directed by committee OF which
Geza d. Berko. editor and publisher of
ne Amerikdi Ma0yor Nepszdpd, Hun
Garian daily newspaper. was the moving
spirit. Among the guests was Marcus
Braun, former publisher of Fair Play, a
weekly that received $4,000 OF Won
Bernstorff's money.
Telegram From Creel.
Al the dinner. the following telegram
Was read from the chairman of the
Committee on Public Information:
MI DEAR Mr.. BERKos / am sorry be-
'oHd measure that another engagement
prevents me from accepting your invi-
ia'ion to the dinner in honor OF Mr..
Alexander Konta. Nothing would have
't'!ghted me more than to be present to
DIN IN the deserved tribute to the pres
dent Of the American Hungarian 10y
al'y League, for he has been tower OF
strength TO the work I am conducting
As murh as any one man In the country
70 has made the hyphen badge OF 10y
atty instead OF n sign of disaffection
Believe me, very sincerely.
GEORGE CREEL."
Rerko, as an active member OF Kon-
ias Loyalty League. was made the sub
3''t OF long report to the Govern
wont. Extracts from his newspaper. In
which President Wilson and the Gov
o'nmcnts war policies were strongly
Condemned we're included in the re-
port,
August 81, 1915. the Neps=dva had q
.ong editorial flled with sneers at the
'Ated States because of the feeling ere
''rd here by the sinking Of the steam