Evening star., 1949-02-08
Cardinal Sentenced to Life in Prison

I0IIScu ~ LII
court that all the sentences should
have been more harsh.
Arrested December 26.
The cardinal and other promi-
nent Catholics were arrested De-
cember 26, setting of one of the
fiercest church-state controversies
in modern times. They were
charged with treason. plotting to
overthrow the government. espio-
mage and selling dollars at above
the government fixed rate - on
the black market. Father zakar
had been arrested on treason
charges about a month before.
Cardinal Mindszenty and the
other six defendants were brought
into court last Thursday. The
first day of the trial lasted 13
hours, with the cardinal at once
pleading partly guilty but denying
that he had plotted to overthrow
the government. All the others
except Prof. Baranyay pleaded
partly guilty. but denied plotting
against the government. Prof.
Baranyay declared his innocence.
The cardinal acknowledged
writing letter to the minister of
justice Offering to withdraw from
his Office for a time to allow the
Hungarian bishops to negotiate
for church-state agreement
which he previously had opposed.
(There have been uncon-
firmed reports that the govern
ment was seeking to establish
a national Catholic church. in
dependent of Vatican controlo
Offered Restitution.
Cardinal Mindszenty acknowl-
edged royalist sympathies. ad-
mitted engaging in illegal money
deals and offered to make resti-
tuition for the amount OF money
lost by the state.
Finally, he said he had changed
his mind about letter he wrote
to the bishops before his arrest in
which he warned them not to &C
cept as bona file any confession
he might make because of "hu-
man frailty."
:>(This string of confessions
and recantations in court set
on charges abroad that the
cardinal had been tortured or
drugged. One of the most prom
inent spokesman making such
charges was Francis Cardinal
Spellman Of New York. who
called the proceedings a mock
trial."
On the third day of the speedy
trial. Prosecutor Elapi demanded
a hard and inexorable" sentence
death by hanging. Cardinal
Mindszenty. he said. headed an
organization to restore Archduke
Otto of Hapsburg to the throne,
and had committed horrible
crimes" regardless of whether he
wore the purple of a cardinal
or is clad in rags"
The cardinal, in his B st state
ment to the court. prayed that
"the Lord give wisdom to the court
when they pass their sentence,
which may help a settlement at
home and abroad"
The prosecutor said hatred of
democracy and not defense Of
religion" was the cardinals guild
ing motive, and denied that the
prince Of the church had been
drugged, tortured or threatened to
extort confessions.
Trial Climaxes Long Fight.
The trial brought to a climax
the long running fight between
the government and the cardinal,
who as an archbishop defied the
Nazis when they were guiding the
destinies of Hungary. and was
imprisoned by them.
From the time in February.
1916, when he received the red
hat symbolic of his high church
office, the primate was at swords
point with the Communists who
gradually took over the country
and with the Russians.
The Russians first charged the
Catholic clergy was melting the
people against the occupation
forces.
The battle with the Communists
grew when they announced plans
to nationalize church schools. The
cardinal opposed the measure all
the way, even threatening the
accommodation of any Catholic
member of Parliament who voted
for the measure.
Matyas Rakosi, No. Commu-
mist and deputy premier, in turn
charged Cardinal Mindszenty,
though of a peasant family. was
a royalist and wanted the Haps-
burgs back.
In June last year the Hungarian
Parliament voted to nationalize