Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-06-21
A Book for the World

cerned, there is nothing really new in
the report just submitted to the United
Nations by the General Assembly'S spe-
cial committee on Hungary. But even
so, with its great mass Of detail cogently
set forth and analysed between the covers
OF S91-page book, the report adds up
to a grimly fascinating document Of
prime historical Importance. And its
chief significance in that sense is that
it serves as an altogether damning indict-
ment Of the Kremlin and its puppet
Kadar regime in Budapest.
All this had its beginning early last
January. At that time, after Premier"
Kadar and his Soviet masters had re-
peatedly refused to let the U. N. send
observers into revolt-torn Hungary, the
General Assembly, by vote Of SO to 8,
set up its five-nation committee of in
vestigation. The committee, consisting
of representatives Of Australia, TuniSia,
Ceylon, Denmark and Uruguay, there
upon began as thorough an inquiry as
possible. Although barred from setting
foot on Hungarian soil, it made an ex-
haustive study Of all available docu-
mentary evidence bearing on events both
before and after the rebellion. In addi-
ton, at hearings in New York, Geneva,
Rome, Vienna and London, it recorded
about 1000 pages Of testimony from
more than 100 refugees well qualified
to give an authoritative account of the
uprising and the Kremlin's ensuing
armed Intervention. And now. reporting
unanimously, 1t has presented to the
world the following findings among
others:
~ Last falls rebellion, despite COM
munist lies to the contrary, very def
nitely was not fomented by reaction
aries" and Western "imperialists." (2) It
was supported by the overwhelming mass
Of the Hungarian people. including key
Reds, driven to desperation by Moscow's
domination and the stooge tyranny in
Budapest, whose secret police-"pitiless
and unabashed by any shameful act
had been guilty of the most appalling"
kinds Of torture. (3) The uprising for
freedom was brutally crushed by a COM
&, bination Of Soviet deceit, treachery and
naked military force. ~ In carrying
out the suppression, the Kremlin'S troops
resorted to indiscriminate slaughter,
summary executions and thousands Of
deportations. (5) The Kadar regime,
which is reimposing Stalinist methods
step by step. has no popular backing and
would be swept out of ONCE in a free
election. And (6) the immense majority
Of Hungarians, although their hopes
seem shattered at the moment, undoubt-
eddy yearn for the withdrawal of Russia's
armed power, and their will to regain
independence "has only been strength
ened" by the way that power has been
used against them.
These are facts that have been known
for long time. But the report to the
United Nations has confirmed them land
many others besides) with such lucidity
and eloquence of language that 1t should
be required reading throughout the world.
This applies particularly to those "neu-
tralist" countries where all too many
people seem disposed to take every Khru-
shchev smile at face value and to accept
as gospel truth whatever Moscow may
say about its peace-loving, freedom
espousing policies In that respect, the
story Of Hungary, as told by the u. N.
committee, ought to be a global best
seller.