Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-12-14
$4,000 Stage
New SitdoWn in
Budapest Plant
Thousands in Other
Factories Protest
Arrest of Leaders
BY ERICH WAHA

BUDAPEST. Dec. 14.-An es.
timated $4,000 workers in Hun
gary's biggest industrial complex
the huge Csepel iron and stee
works south of Budapest-defiec
Russian tanks and troops today
to stage a new sitdown strike
About 80 per cent of the CsepeI
works force of more than $4,000
Joined thousands Of workers ir
a dozen other Budapest factories
In demanding that puppet Pre-.
mier Janos Kadar'S regime re-
lease the workers two top labor
leaders.
The workers reported to their
plants but refused to produce.
At Budapest's biggest electrical
products plant, the BejolanniS
electric facory. 5000 workers re-
fused to man their machines in
defiance of troops and police who
had seized their plant.
Russians Take Over Plants
Sander RACE, chairman of the
outlawed Budapest Central
Workers Council, and Sander
Bari, council vice chairman, were
arrested yesterday after they
had ordered a two-day general
strike which paralyzed most of
the country's industry and COM
merce Tuesday and Wednesday.
The two were employed at Bejol-
anniS.
The Csepel professors were de-
flying Russian officers and troops
as well as Hungarian Communist
militia and police.
A Kadar government commits
sion headed by two Soviet army
colonies marched into the huge
works yesterday. declared the
plants workers council dissolved
and took over. But it could not
force the workers to produce.
A Csepel worker outside the
plants gates told Western re-
porters:
When they think they can
arbitrarily arrest our leaders
they have another think COM
ing"
Tanks Circle Factories
The Csepel complex was again
ringed by Soviet tanks and ar
mored cars. The workers said
Russian officers and soldiers
we're inside the plant and posted
at strategic points to support
forces of armed Hungarian
arid police.
Some chimneys were smoking
and several factory railways
were in operation.
THE people who went back
to work love money" grumbled
a worker outside the gate. He
referred to a Budapent radio
warning that only those would
receive wages who actually
worked.
But we estimate that only
20 per cent are still working,
another added. The others
won't resume until RACE and
Bari are released"
Except for the work stoppages
Budapest appeared quiet up to
noon with streetcar and bus
service almost back to normal
Newsmen touring the capitals
industrial 18th district noted
many workers standing around
factory yards while others pushed
handcars as slowly as possible.
Shortage of Electricity
Workers explained that
another factor hampering pro-
duction was shortage of coal and
electric power. The electricity
was shut of this morning in
many hotels in downtown Buda-
pest.
The Kadar government broad
cast a threat to dismiss thou
sands Of workers If coal miners
who have stayed away from the
pits since the outbreak Of the
october revolution did not re-
turn to work. Budapest radio
said in view of the increasing
danger Of an initiation, the gov
eminent can no longer bear the
responsibility Of paying idle fac
tory workers.
The regime promised a special
loyalty bonus" and govern
ment credits for the building Of
homes to miners who returned
by December Is.
Militia and police guarded the
entrances to the BejolanniS
plant and the vicinity. They had
seized the factory yesterday
when employees held a protest
meeting there to demand the re-
lease OF Mr. RACE and Mr.. Bari
The troops dispersed the meet