Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-03-26
Hungary Runs inuck

IT is natural that the world should feel a
j measure Of alarm over the surrender OF
Hungary to Boshevist madness: that the un-
stable government which erected itself in
Vienna upon the ruins Of the old Austro-
Hungarian empire should yield after fitful
period of existence: that this new situation
should bring a responsive echo from Russia,
and that the entente governments should be
turned aside for moment in their peace
proceedings to give attention to new
menace
There more or less grave possibilities
i'll the Hungarian debacle. It seems to mean
that the spread of the communist epidemic
is far from checked, and that the peace which
the world thought had come with the sign
ing OF the armistice with Germany was not
after all. to be realized until a fresh war
had been waged against influences which
might otherwise keep Central and Northern
Europe in a state Of ferment for generation.
Then, too, there is always the chance that
this sort OF disease might overrun other
frontiers and might seize the people of France
and Great Britain themselves. The latter
country has just passed one industrial crisis
which tended dangerously toward commun-
ism, when it reached tentative understand
ing with the labor forces OF the United King
dom. But France is not quarantined against
Boishevism. In fact, there is a radical group
in that republic which has openly cham
ploned the cause OF the Soviet and has given
repeated warning TO its own government that
a day OF reckoning may not be far distant
But there need be no panic in the councils
OF the allies. 1t is not to be imagined that
the victorious group OF nations would de-
lberately throw away the fruits of triu oh
by allowing the Boshevist. the Spartacans
and the communists TO make conquest OF
the heroic peoples who have suffered and
fought and died during the long CHASTITY years
OF the war. There must be too much COM
mon sense, too much sanity and too much
pride of achievement in the makeup Of the
British, French and Italian people for any
such suicidal mania TO find Judgment among
them.
AS for the possibility OF Il renewal OF hos
tilities this is serious if it means the death
OF even one more allied soldier in battle but
it is not thing to make the world shudder
Germany is disarmed. Austria is disarmed
hungary is disarmed. They cannot fight the
seasoned armies OF the entente. They might
mako trouble and in the end force the fur
thor garrisonng OF the central powers All
this would entail some fighting perhaps and
further outlay OF money, but that is the
worst that might come in that direction
TO lay the blame for the new state of affairs
in Central Europe upon the peace council on
the ground that it has delayed the conclusion
Of peace, is far-fctched. Germany and Aus
tria knew when they surrendered il they
know anything at all, that they would be
made TO pay for the which they had
brought upon the world. To say now that
they are prepared TO revolt because they
have learned that their enemies are e1acting
some measure OF recon- pense from them is
too childish an argument 10 be offered even
by beaten and whim pering bully.