Evening star., 1947-03-06
HIGH COURT UPHOLDS LEWIS CONVICTION
Sharp U. 5. Note
Accuses Reds in
HungaryCriisis
Charges 'Unjustified d
Interference in
Nations Affairs
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
The United States today
charged Russia with causing a
political crisis by an "unjustified
interference in Hungarian in
ternal affairs"
A sharp note, delivered to the
Russian, British and Hungarian
governments, and to the Soviet
military commander in Budapest
said the Soviet high command by
direct intervention has brought po-
litical difficulties in Hungary to a
crisis.
An official summary Of the note
handed Moscow as Secretary OF
State Marshall travelled toward the
Soviet capital said this Government
deems "unwarranted" charges filed
against Parliamentary Deputy Bella
Kovacs, who was arrested last week
by Russian soldiers.
Note Expresses Concern.
Kovacs until recently was secre-
tary general of the Smallholders
party, the moderate majority group
in the Hungarian Parliament, which
the Communists and other parties
have tried to oust.
The State Departments note fol-
lows:
THE Government of the United
States. in keeping with its under
takings as a signatory of the Yalta
declaration, its responsibility under
the armisttce as participant in
the Allied Control Commission for
Hungary, and its determination to
assist the Hungarian people toward
the establishment of democratic
independence as envisaged in the
peace treaty with Hungary, is i'm
PEELED at this time to express its
feeling of concern at the political
crisis which has now been pre-
ciptated in Hungary.
THE pattern Of recent political
developments in Hungary appears
to threaten the right of the people
to live under q government of their
own free choosing, for it involves
foreign interference In the domes-
tic affairs Of Hungary in support OF
repeated aggressive attempts by
Hungarian minority elements to
coerce the popularity elected major
ity.
unable to achieve their political
ends through normal constitutional
processes, the Hungarian Commu-
nists, together with other members
Of the Leftist bloc. have endeavored
to implicate a number of represent
atiyes of the majority Smallhold-
ers Party in a recently revealed plot
against the republic and, by de-
manding the withdrawal of parlia-
mentary immunity from Smallhold-
ers deputies, to weaken the parlia-
mentary position to which that party
was duly elected by the Hungarian
people.
Situation Brought to Crisis.
simultaneously, police and ad-
ministrative authorities, responsive
to the dictates Of these majority
elements, have utilized their powers
|of investigation of the conspiracy
not toward the expeditions judicial
resolution of a threat against the
state, but to conduct a general cam
paign against their political op-
ponents.
'The Soviet high command in
Hungary has now, by direct inter-
vention, brought the situation to a
crisis. Following the refusal of the
Smallholders Party to abrogate, in
connection with the investigation of
the conspiracy. the parliamentary
immunity of Deputy Bella Kovacs,
until recently secretary general Of
the Smallholders Party, Soviet oc-
cupation forces have arrested Mr..
Kovacs.
"The grounds given for that arrest
are allegations that he actively
participated in the formation of
subversive and anti-Soviet terror
groups and in organizing espionage
directed against the Soviet Union
Despite the Importance of this step,
this. Soviet action has been taken
unilaterally without prior discussion
with the United States and United
Kingdom representatives on the
Allied Control Commission. On the
basis of its present information, the
United States Government believes
these grounds and the charges are
unwarranted.
"These developments, In the
opinion of the United States Gov
enment, constitute an unjustified
interference in Hungarian internal
affairs, the effect of which will be
to support the efforts OF a small
group in Hungary to substitute a
minority dictatorship for respon-
sible administration representative
on the will of the Hungarian people
as expressed in free and untram-
(See HUNGARY, Page ABB