Evening star., 1943-12-22
Rising Nazi Pressure
On Hungary Brings
More Turnabouts
BY PAUL GHAII.


Chicago Daily News
BERN, Dec. 22.-The situation now
developing in Hungary serves to
re-emphasize the complexity of Gen.
tral European politics. Premier
Nicholas Kallay. who at one time
was throwing tentative glances to-
ward the Allied camp, now appears
to be looking elsewhere. Hungarian
affairs have undergone three ex-
traordlnary political turnabouts in
less than a week.
Kallay closed the Budapest parlia-
ment eight months ago because his
political opponent, the arch-Nazi
Bella Imredy, threatened to ask en-
-barrasSlng questions. Last Thurs
day Kallay and Imredy exchanged
f1owery compliments at the close of
which the premier got off his high
horse and warmly shook hands with
his former enemy.
On Friday Kallay bowed to the
demand of certain officers to the
effect that action should be taken
against two Socialist deputies, Karl
Peyr and Anna Kothli, both no.
toriously pro-Ally. On SATURDAY.
Kallay, in an address to parliament,
criticized President Eduard Benes
of the Czech government n-exile
and American Secretary of State
Hull and announced that Hungary
was waging war to the death against
BolshevlSm-a favorite theme with
KallayS predecessors but one which
he himself apparently had aban-
doned months ago.
Nazi Pressure Blamed.
These upheavalS, coming after
months of clever propaganda pre-
senting Hungary as on the verge of
signing a separate peace with the
Allies, have two possible explana-
tions. The first describes Kallay
as being the innocent victim of un-
precedented Nazi pressure. The sec
ond, emanating inside Hungary,
describes that country as pursuing
the policy of q small nation whose
aims are purely nationalistic and
egoist and therefore often oppor-
tunistic.
1t must be emphasized, however.
that the facts speak more in favor
Of the first explanation. At least
four instances of Nazi pressure on
Hungary have occurred quite re-
Gently.
l. 1t is common knowledge that
German money has been spent Law
ishly lately to revitalize Hungary
fifth column. Hungarian Quislings
are few, but they hold key posts in
the administrative and have been
extremly active propagandists. They
include several officers educated in
Germany where fear of Bolshevism
was inculcated in them. German
gold has also mobilized the oldest
Hungarian Nazi party, even more
extremist than Imredys Arrow
Cross"
Occupation Threatened.
2. Germany has declared that
should Hungary maintain its
"treacherous" attitude of past
months, it would be occupied by
Wehrmacht troops. To give more
weight to this threat 10 German
divisions were recently sent to the
Austro- Hungarian frontier, suppos-
edly for a rest period Simultan-
eously, Nazi diplomats in Budapest
suggested that should Hungary re-
main deaf to advice and wisdom.
both Rumania and puppet-con-
trolled Serbia would be let loose
against it.
3. Hungary remaining three di-
visions on the Russian front not
only have been refused permission
to return home, but have been di-
vided into small units and scat
tered all along the eastern front |
as palpable proof to the Soviets
that Hungary is still fighting.
4. With view to co-ordina ting
these various threats and measures.
Herman Neubacher, Nazi agent in
the Balkans, was sent to Budapest. |
What Neubacher said to Kallay is
not known but it must have been
q very unpleasant interview for the
srlstocratic Kallay.
tCopyright, 1943, Chicago Daily
News, Inc)