South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-06-08
HUNGARY BROUGHT
To STARVATION BY
R ULE Of SOVIET
"Red" Government Approach
ing Dissolution Has Made
Budapest Place of Misery.

BUDAPEST. June What may
De the last days OF the red" soviet
republic here are fraught with such
terror, hunger, mental misery, up
roofing OF family ties. heart-break-
ing partings. flights. arrests and legal
lootings that the majority OF Hun
garians are praying that such days
may never come again. They live
like people caught in a burning
house with the firemen squirting
benzine on the only escape ladder.
one way out my possibly be pro-
vided by the Czech and Roumanian
armies, who, though national enem-
les OF the Magyars, are now hailed
as saviors. The atmosphere IS
charged with fears and alarms worse
than those felt on any battle front.
a coatag ious fear like that which
prevails when an army is in rout is
spreading even to foreigners whose
persons are comparatively safe from
arrest owing 10 the wishes OF Bella
Kun. the communist leader. and
other ministers to save themselves
from the gallows when the grand
collapse comes.
Envy the Americans.
When fathers and sons fee the
country TO evade arrest or TO join
the counter-revolutionist their
wives and mothers whisper at the
parting: LET us hope we may meet
in happier times"
When the correspondent OF the
10 explain his nationality the listen
er, whether red guard. peasant, or
civilian. has remarked with envy:
What a fortunate man you are, TO
be an American"
He would invariably ask whether
il would be possible to reach Ameri-
ca and whether foreigners. former
enemies would be permitted to land
on her shores. Peasants, who refuse
to furnish food TO Budapest or other
cities because they are hostile to
communism and want shoes and
clothes more than paper money, OF
which they have plenty, gladly
enough sold meals and supplies to
the correspondent on the strength of
his American nationality
manN stores closed.
The city Of Budapest which a few
weeks ago had a plentiful supply Of
eggs-people almost lived upon them
and potatoes is now without eggs.
because OF the obstinacy OF the
peasants. A great many OF the stores
have been closed for lack of goods
10 sell, or because they have been
requisitioned by the soviet.
The most saddening impression
the visitor receives is that of a coun-
try in dissolution, being stripped day
by day. mercilessly and inexorably.
OF its riches. TO benefit nobody. The
relatively pleasant. orderly and
bountiful life that existed in Hun
gary a few months ago, when its
neighbour Austria was starving. is
gone for many years to come
Many Obliged 10 Flee.
IF anyone wants to be convinced
Of the futility Of remaking the world
in a single day with pet theories. he
should now visit Hungary" was the
remark made by an American naval
officer. II is estimated that half a
million OF Hungary's best citizens
have been obliged to flee from their
homes and wander across the from
tiers TO strange lands.
There are many stories OF their at
tempts TO save their lives and prop
erty some OF which read like Arab
ian Night tales It is calculated that
some 5000. 1000. 900 Kronen worth of
bonds. gold coin. jewelry. plate.
paintings and work of art have been
saved from the clutches OF the red
guards and smuggled across the
frontiers by blockade runners, afoot.
on bicycles, autos or peasant carts.
Within a few weeks. there has grown
up a system by which large percent
ages OF the value OF such property.
often amounting TO so percent have
been given for It's safe transporta-
ton TO Vienna or Agram. Not few
communists took advantage of such
methods Of getting valuables out of
the country. Many jewelers., however.
stored their stocks under sidewalks
or MD them in holes dug in their
cellars I'm preference TO trusting
them 10 blockade runners.