Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-03-19
Budapest Soviet Chief
Rejects U. 5. Protest
On Role in Hungary

BUDAPEST, Mar. 10. The
Soviet command in Budapest re-
jected today American protests
against Russian interference in
Hungarian political affairs and
refused for the second time an
American request for a three
power investigation of the situa-
ton.
In a note delivered this morning
to Brig. Gen. George H. Weems at.
the American military mission, Rus
sian 1t. Gen. v. P. Sviridov de-
clsred:
Il do not find it possible to change
my attitude toward your offer for
investigation of the existing condi-
tons in Hungary"
Gen. Sviridov is acting chairman
of the Allied Control Commission
for Hungary.
The United States had commended
that the Russians interferred in
Hungarian affairs to aid the cause
of Hungarian Communists.
Today's Russian reply brushed
aside an American assertion of
March II that Soviet forces ar
rested Bella Kovacs, anti-Commuist
member of Parliament, on charges
of espionage only after Commun-
list had been unsuccessful in hav-
ing Kovacs arrested by other means.
Kovacs Linked to Plot.
The Communist had accused
Kovacs. secretary general of the
Small Holders Party, of being i'm
plicated in plot against the year.
old republic. but failed to win a
waiver of Kovacs' parliamentary
immunity and his arrested by Com
munist-controlled political police.
With regard to Kovacs, Gen.
Sviridov's note said:
"Once already I had the oppor-
tunity to decline your interference
in this case.
However, since you, in spite of
that, again return to this issue. I,
solely to forestall you from making
any further mistake, can inform you
that Bella Kovacs has fully acknowl-
edged his guilt in crimes committed
against the Soviet Army as well as
his participation in the plot
AS for an American complaint
that the Communists refused to per-
NIT parliamentary Investigations Of
Small Holder members of Parlia-
ment accused of completely in the
purported plot, Gen. Sviridov said:
Attempts to change the usual
procedure of the investigation
through creation of a special par
liamentary committee to investigate
were not called for by any necessity,
but rather had as their aim to con-
ceal criminal roles of parliamentary
deputies Of the Small Holders Party
implicated in the plot
Text of Notes Broadcast.
The Russian commander said both
the investigat ton Of the plot, which
the United States contended was
conducted by Communist controlled
police, and the current trial of Is
defendants, which the American
note said was being carried on by
pTedominantly left-Wlng court, were
in accordance with the Hungarian
constitution and the law for the
defense of the republic" "a law
sponsored by Leftists.
The Hungarian radio. meanwhile,
broadcast the text of the two notes
this morning and Hungarian after
noon papers were expected to pub
fish them.
The broadcast and possible pub
LEGATION of the notes followed a
lengthy discussion yesterday between
Gen. Weems and Gen. Sviridov, dur
ing which the American protested
that the Russians had ordered the
American note withheld from the
Hungarian press.
Gen. Sviridov replied that he had
not had it withheld. that he only
requested a delay, pending prepara-
ton of a Russian reply, so that
both could be released at the same
time.
Gen. Sviridov told Gen. Weems
that he had "a perfect right to con-
troll the Hungarian press"