New-York tribune., 1919-06-15
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I n


vate ownership have been 'socialisea,
and 400 OF them added to the nations
collection. The theatres, and even .hs
clnemas, are also socialized, and DR.
Lukacs has boldly suppressed the more
trivial type of performance and raised
the standard of the Budapest reper.
torres, while lowering the price of III.
seats to workmen.
1.-TWO plays by Bernard Shaw were
being acted while | was in Budapes,
and both of them were crowded. The
policy of the government is to please
the masses by offering them the fullest
satisfaction of their aesthetic capac,-
ties. The amazing and creditable thing
is that in music, and in the theatre. i,
insists on high standard, which the
unframed mass will certainly find ex.
acting. Here, too, there is work for
the appropriated class"
But
Still, there is a "but" to ali this
glory:
This picture of Hungary in the frs.
weeks of social revolution would be
false if it failed to emphasize the fac,
that the government is an unmxed
dictatorship. There is no liberty.
There is no democracy The old news.
papers all continue to appear, but they
all play the correct official tune. No
criticism even Of details is tolerated,
and even in the churches priests and
pastors are forbidden To touch on
politics."
Nevertheless, 3railsford seems TO
think that. all things considered,
the Communist regime has done
Hungary good. Not so the cor
respondent of "The London Daily
Telegraph" who, under the date of
May 5, writes:
THE position at Budapest is de-
plorable in the extreme. and great
change is noticeable from that which
existed when was here about fort
night ago. A great number of shops
are closed, and the town is so cowed
that nobody ventures out Of doors
more than is absolutely necessary
Everything is closed at 6 p. m, and
nobody is allowed in the streets afte,
3 without special pass. There ID
small inducement to remain out. foi
more or less minor shooting aEray,
occur from time to time. wherein
civilians. Rcd Guard troops returning
demoralized from the front. and the
Legion of Terror have all partaken.
The length mans spite may go 10
illustrated by the case or the Archduks
Josef. A British officer, bearing let
ter from King George to the archduke,
arrived here on Sunday morning and
requested Bella Kun's permission to
deliver the letter ate once in person.
Kun declared he was ready in prin-
ciple, but insisted that the officer
must be accompanied by certain nan
who would not arrive at Budapest till
the following day. When the British
officer fulfilled his mission on the fol-
lowing day he found the archduke III
IN bed. and was much surprised by the
fact that the Bolshevik messenger had
overnight arrived with one Of his uni-
forms. The explanation Of Kun's ex-
cuses was Immediately apparent. The
archduke had been stripped Of ali his
belongings, even his clothes. and Kun,
fearing the archduke might rise from
his sick bed to greet the British officer,
had delayed the visit twen;y-four
hours to enable the archduke 20 have
clothes wherein to receive the
visitors"
The correspondent utters most
severe criticism of the Allies weak
ness in dealing with the Communist
regime:
Owing 70 vacillation. apparent lack
of any definite policy, and the failure
OF the Allies to cooperate whole
heartedly together, the position Of the
Bolshevik government to-day is IN
fnitely stronger than it has been at
any moment in the last ten days. In
the south the French and Serbs prae-
tically have not advanced AT all. In
the north the Czech advance has been
lnconsiderable, and for some mex
plicable reason has halted five k.io-
metres short of Salgo- TARTAN. pos
session of which would deprive the
Bolsheviks of their only valuable re-
naming coal mine, and would auto
matically compel the surrender OF
Budapest. In the east the Rumanians
have retaken Szolnck, but remain on
the Thesis line. The natural conse-
quence is that the Bolsheviks are be-
ginning to regain confidence, and the
position of Bella Kun, who personally
advocated the defence of Budapest 70
the last moment, has been greatly
strengthened.
at appears obvious, from what have
heard since my return here that mos'
favorable opportunities have been
lost"
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