Evening star., 1946-07-22
Red Pressure in Hungary
Seen Problem for Byrnes
BY the Associofed Press

Soviet political activities in Hun
gary led diplomats today to stress
the struggle Secretary of State
Byrnes still faces when he returns to
Paris this week for more peace
making
This Government is reported plan
ming sharp new protest to Moscow
over what is considered here an op-
preston of Hungarian political free
doms. But the problem is consid-
cred typical of the conflict between
Russia and the western powers which
is the backdrop for the Paris peace
conference.
The conference is scheduled to
open next Monday. Aides expect
Mr.. Byrnes to leave Friday or Satur-
day. 1t was little more than a week
ago that he returned from Paris
after the Big -Four Foreign Ministers
finished drafting the treaties for
Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy
and Finland which are to be acted
on by the peace conference.
Greater Power for Natives.
The texts Of these documents
nave not been published. 1t is
known, however, that they are in
tended to give much greater power
into the hands of the native govern
ments and thus restrict the rights of
the occupation and control powers.
This more or less fixed a deadline
by which the Russians must wind up
their most direct methods of con-
consolidating Communist power in
the Balkan states.
Officials here are not sure of the
connection between this fact and
what is going on in Hungary, but
some suggest that it probably is very
close.
AS nation, Hungary has voted in
manner less acceptable to Russia S
political commiSsarS than perhaps
any other in Eastern Europe.
Communists Polled 17T.
In the balloting last November,
the Communists polled II per cent
of the votes, Social Democrats II
per cent and the relatively middle
of the-road Small Holders party go
per cent. Ever since, the Small
Holders have been under heavy
Communist pressure.
Earlier this year a purge" re-
suited in the custer of 20 party
leaders as 'reactionaries.
A few weeks ago Soviet 1t. Gen
V. P Sviridov, ignoring the required
routine of consulting American and
British colleagues on the Allied Con-
troll Commission, ordered the Hun
garian government to disband a
group of organizations he accused OF
being Fascist" On July II, Presi-
dent Ferenc Macy, chief of the Small
Holder party, advised Sviridov he
would meet the demand.
U. S. Protest Action.
| The organizations to be broken ur
are the Boy Scouts, student union
three Catholic youth groups and ar
organization similar to the YMCA
The United States already has
lodged one protest based on Russia
! dSUlOLl. IllC AIklCI lCdil llltIllUSl vi
the control commission, Brig. Gen
Benjamin F. Weems, told Gen
Sviridov that Russia's single handed
approach to the Hungarian govern
ment was violation of Allied
agreements to act jointly in politicaI
issues.
Another Protest Expected.
The next protest, according to
preliminary indications, is to be
based on the fact that Hungary was
forced to yield to the Russian de-
mano to break up organiza tions
which American officials do not
consider fascistic.
Officials said that in view of the
Hungarian experience and the firm
hold Russia appears already to have
established over Romania and Bull
garia, it may be long time before
the political guarantees expected
from the Paris peace treaties be-
come real to the Balkan people.