Evening star., 1949-09-18
Hunquriun Treason TrioI

The mass trial now under way in
Budapest conforms to the grimly familiar
totalitarian pattern. The star culprit,
Laszlo Rajk, leads of with an interminable
confession" of multiple treasons to the
Communist cause running back nearly 20
years. Having thus established not
merely his criminality but also his clever
ness, he goes on to implicate prominent
foreign personalities as his instigators.
These include our Minister to Hungary,
members of his Legation staff and Marshal
Tito and his encourage. The picture is
gigantic plot aimed primarily at the Com
munist regime in Hungary, but only as
the first stage of a general 'imperialist"
offensive against the new Peoples Re-
publics" of the Soviet bloc and ultimately
against the Soviet Union itself
Rajk did dramatic and comprehensive
job, enhanced by his former prominence
in the Hungarian Communist regime as
Foreign Minister and party leader AS his
"conspirators" speak their pieces in
court, they can be relied on to corroborate
and amplify his assertions In short this
has all the earmarks of a flrst-class Com
munist judicial Showpiece, staged with the
meticulous thoroughness employed on such
occasions.
To the non Communist mind, the whole
affair Is as farcical as it is tragic. Our
former Minister, Selden Chaplin, terms
Rajk's allegations against him as com
pletely without foundation" while Colonel
Kovach, likewise accused, describes Rajk's
charges as strictly nonsense" adding that
10 ot ho
want to met him. Incidentally, this is not
the first time they have been accused by
the present Communist regime of having
fomented treason in Hungary. 1t appears
to be part of the buildup of America as
the ultimate villain of the piece which has
become the party line" for Communists
everywhere. AS for Marshal Tito, he Is
portrayed as both the chief agent and
Junior partner of American imperialism"
his reward being free hand and Western
support in building up Balkan empire
on the ruins of the present Peoples
Republics"
b.. The logical query is: What is behind all
this? That the masterminds of the Com
munist international have an important
objective is certain. The only uncertainty
Is IlOW lar tIley nIeIlu W SO III supple
menting words with deeds. These ex-
travagant charges must be intended to
intensity the psychological atmosphere of
danger already whipped up in the popular
consciousness throughout the Soviet bloc.
With no means of knowing the truth, the
peoples under Communist domination will
thus be further conditioned" to back any
official action, even war, as a necessary
measure of defense. 1t is significant that
the Budapest trial is being given a ire
mendous play" in the press throughout
the Soviet bloc, the imminent menace of
combined imperialist- -Titoist crusade"
against orthodox communism being
trumpeted without reservation.
An intensifcation of Communist pres
sure on Tito's Yugoslavia can be taken
for granted. Tito is portrayed both as
the arbitrator to communism and as
the spearhead of imperialist aggression
Dictator Hoxha of Albania proclaims his
mortal danger from concerted Yugoslav-
Greek squeeze play-with American back
ing. And the other Balkan satellites of
Moscow echo his warning of imminent
peril Alibis are thus being built up for
preventive" action by the Soviet bloc.
The deductions are as ominous as they are
logical