South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-07-17
REDS WILLING
TO FIGHT ALL
WORLD, VIEW
Correspondent Who Watched
Revolution Sees Trouble
in Hungary.
BY EDWARD BING.

tCopTrght. 1919. ny the United PRESS
VIENNA, July 15.-(Delayed)-
Bolshevik Hungary. like wound
ed lion at bay. stands ready to bat
tie the whole world in defense OF
the soviet government.
Yet a small allied army. especial
" if it included American and Brit
ish troops. could crush the red ar
my with ease.
After personally witnessing the
whole course of the revolution IN
Budapest. I am able 20 state this
with authority.
The food situation throughout
Hungary is critical Budapest is
virtually starving The country is
torn by internal dissensions. Bella
kun is confronted with the problem
of raising an army from a people
whose morale is at its lowest ebb.
and equipping it with arms and
munitions that are practically non
existent
Should tho expected allied offens-
i've fail TO materialize, there is one
other factor that could bring about
bolshevikrs downfall concerted
attack by the diversified anti-soviet
governments. The red army is pre-
pared TO Tight the Rumanians and
Czechs-and probably could wage
"a successful warfare against them
but il has no stomach for battling
it's brothers in the white army.
White Forces Scattered.
At present the white forces are
scattered and without competent
leaders or a definite objective. En-
tire divisions Of the red forces, how
ever. have served formal notice that
they will refuse to fight the white
army. A number of workmen's
battalions were disarmed and re-
turned TO the factories because of
this defiance.
An allied offensive undoubtedly
would result in an immediate crisis
in the soviet government. Never
theless I believe the order which
has so far been maintained by the
reds in Budapest would continue
But if the white army were TO at
tack il is certain the street would
run red with blood. since there are
tens of thousands Of bitter anti
bolsheviks in the capital who would
welcome such a signal for a coun-
ter revolution. These same persons
could be counted upon TO resist an
allied offensive because of racial
pride.
There is a strong political move
nent against the scviets under way
already fostered by the powerful
trades unions At the same time the
red leaders are growing more and
more radical There are at least
400 political prisoners now in Buda-
pest jails The railway trainmen.
postal and telegraph employees plan
fusion which would greatly
strengthen their opposition 10 the
sOviets.
Prepare Budapest Defense.
The bourgeoisie. as whole.
have been cowed by the bolsheviki
Every man of that class between
Is and 45 has been ordered mobil-
'ized and pressed into service with
the red army Many of them are
now engaged in erecting powerful
oefenses around Budapest. in pre-
paration for a last stand defense of
the capital. should this be neces-
sary.
Gen. Boehm. commander-in-ch
Of the red army has resigned "Ill
health" was the reason assigned. IL
is likely, however. that the real
cause was the dissensions in the
country. as well as the antagonism
between Boehm and the so-called
terror troops" who have run 10
extremes in punishing alleged vio-
Iations OF bolshevIS laws and have
EN- barrassed the soviet government.
Boehm has been succeeded by
Gen. LANDER. former commander OF
the fifth army corps. Boehm is ex-
pected 90 leave soon for Switzer-
land. Boehm also opposed the Of
which is planned 20 start in few
days
NIodcratcs Withdraw.
TIE few comparative modcrates
Ieft .n the soviet government are
rapidly Withdrawing Boehm was
one OF these The policy OF the So
Niets is qpw rapidly turning 20 the
extreme 81. There have been fire.
quent cases Of sabotage in the rail
way service. AS well as iu the pub
Die services. because of resentment
Of the employees against this atti-
tude OF the reds