Evening star., 1946-12-10
Letters to The Star
Says Czechoslovakia Should Free
Hunlarian Re9ion

Says CzechosIovakia Should Free
Hungarian Rslion
TO the Editor Of The star:
An article in your December 4 issue,
carrying the byline Of william Mc0Af-
firi ana entitled: "Csechs Seek Removal
Of Hungarian Group - Fsace duarAn-
tee" prompts me to offsr the following
rebuttAl.
Mr.. Mc0afin began his article by say
ing: Postwar Csechoslovakia has one
paramount aim--to live ct peace within
Its own frontiers and In IT. relations
with countries without them.' Having
thus established the peaceful intentions
Of Czechoslovakia, Mr.. Mcdafnn pro-
cseds by drawing parallel between
sudetenland Germans and the Han-
garian minority living In sloyakta. Fac
tually speaking, however, no such paral-
lei exists. The 5udetenland was Aus
trian territory until lsles hence its
Germans were immigraut6. The Hun
garian minority In sloyakia, on the
other hand, lived in their present loca-
ton for many centuries. The region
they inhabit was an integral part OF
Hungary for over 1000 years. It was
ceded to Czechoslovakia in 1919, to
weaken the Communistic regime Of Bells
Kun in Hungary.
Mr.. Mc0afin refers to this territory
a. Hungarian "beschhead" on Czech
soil, conveniently onitting the historical
fact that the CSechs and the 6lovaks
but not the Hunsarians are the new
corsers there. He u right when he re-
ports that the Paris Peace Conference
rejected the Czech request for the
transfer OF 100000 Hungarians. Gen.
Bedell Smith, American delegate and
our Ambassador to Moscow, called 1t:
"Abhorrent to every American"
Mr.. McGaf1in further states that the
Paris Conference directed Czechoslo-
vakia and Hungary to solve this problem
by direct negotiations. But, he COM
plains, the Hunsarians are not cooper
ating, although they signed an agree
raent with CzechoslovAkia on April n.
lo4S, many months before the Paris
Conference convened, for head for
head exchange" Of minorities. This
head for head exchange" agreement
proved fiasco because the Czech gov
ernment used 1t for the enforced 'trans-
fer OF III Hungarian minority, whereas
the Hungarian coy ernment, living up
to the spirit rs well As to the letter Of
the agreement. transferred only 6lovaks
Who applied for q transfer. A check
on both sides Of the frontier. by Mr..
Mc0afan, would have disclosed that:
On the Hungarian side OF the frontier,
slovaks who volunteered for the trans
fer still are living on their farms while
awaiting oflcial action. On the Czech
side, thousands Of Hungarians--Arhi-
trarily earmarked for transfer-Are liv-
ing In labor camps, deprived Of their
normal livelihood and Of their proper
ties, near the city OF Bratislava, the very
city where Mr.. Mcoan1n filed his dis
patch.
Next, the article states, Slovaks
whose land the Hunsarians took over"
today are the closest friends OF Amer
ica In Csechoslcvakia" but they are
most eager to get rid OF the Hun
garians.' Inasrnuch - the great ma
jority OF the Hunsarians acquired their
lands centuries ago, 1t would be inter-
esting II Mr.. McGafhn would produce
acceptable records a 70 how and when
the HunsAtint ck over" eya,E'
lar,ds In this region The slovAks might
b our closest friends now, but they
were equally close to The Germans dnr-s
ing,tte Wi. sAtafAl1 they are sqst
eager to get rid of the Hunsarians."
Arbitrary government confscations
mean easy acquisition Of real estate to.
the Sloyaks.
Mr.. McGafin continues by giving ION
the spot" reasons for American oppo-
sition to the senseless uprootinE Of 2oo,-
900 innocent people. According to his
information, America considers Csecho-
slovakia lost to American influence.
whereas Hungary is not. Hence. we
endeavored to court Hungarian favor
by this decision. But Mr.. McGafiin
should know that Hungary was placed
liz the Russian orbit, much against her
villas proved by the recent Hum
garian elections-by the Yalta Agree
ment. Had she been considered Of
vital Importance to America. our Lead
ers at Yalta would have reserved for
her the status Of present day Austria.
The Czech proposal was defeated be-
cause ut Is abhorrent to every Ameri-
can" and because it represented an alb
truse Czech effort to change restored
status quo.
The only democratic method, open to
Czech leaders in this controversy, Is to
return this predominantly Hungarian
region to Hungary. Only 1000 square
kilometers are involved.
w. LEWIS HAUeER.
Praise for a Reporter
To the Editor of The Star:
The National Association Of Real
Estate Boards takes this occasion to ex.
a. nsS k~S1 kr,1 fs,vu "a Hivn