GENERAL GUMBOS DEAD PRIME MINISTER OF HUNGARY

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21907, 7 October 1936, Page 9

GENERAL GUMBOS DEAD

PRIME MINISTER OF HUNGARY

STATESMAN AND SOLDIER ' (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Received October 7, 12.50 a,m.> MUNICH, October 6. The death has occurred of General Julius Gombos von Jakfa, Prime Minister of Hungary, after a long illness. Julius Gombos von Jakfa, the Hungarian statesman, was born in December, 1866, at *> urga, in the county of Tolna. He entered the army as an officer and eventually served on the geperal staff. During the war he won several decorations for gallantry. After the collapse of the Dual Monarchy he took an important part in combatting the socialist government of Count Karolvi. He headed the counterrevolutionary party, enrolled former officers in the “Move” league, and during the communist regime of Bela Kun organised the anti-Bolshevik committee at Vienna under Count Bethlen. He also acted as secretary of t ie counter-revolutionary government formed at Sztged, helped to collect a nationalist force there, and founded 100 “Move” sports clubs and a printing and publishing concern to uphold his political views.

In 1920 General Gombos became a member of the National Assembly, and vice-president of the Government party, with Bethlen as his colleague, but in 1923 founded and led the National Independence party, whose programme was “War on Judaism, on the legitimists, and on the , evils of capitalism.” In the 1925 elections his party only returned four deputies. The sequel was its amalgamation with the Government party in 1928, and the appointment of Gombos in September of that year as Secretary of State to the Honved (Defence) Ministry. In October, 1929, on the resignation of Count Osakv. he ' became Honved Minister. This appointment was greatly resented by the Legitimists, for Gombos was a strong opponent of the return of King Karl to the Hungarian throne, and led the army that drove him from the country .in 1921. He believed in Hungary choosing a monarch for herself, and the Legitimists regarded his appointment as part of the Government plot Jo deprive the young Prince Otto, son of Karl, of his rights. In November, 1929, Gombos aroused a storm by introducing a bill providing for the re-establishment of the duty of officers to employ their swords to silence any civilian insulting them, and fbr the fighting of duels by officers under the supervision of courts of honour. The measure, however, was passed

A Friend of Italy

Promoted general in February, 1930, he remained Defence Minister in the Julius Karolyi Government of August, 1931. It fell in September, 1932, and General Gombos became Premier while retaining the ’defence portfolio. While M. Karolyi had sought the favour of France, General Oombos was a friend of Italy. In a statement of policy he said he had changed his antiSemitic views ahd would recognise Jews, as brothers, if they were good patriots. He denied that he aimed at a dictatorship. Within three months of coming into office he concluded trade treaties with Austria and Italy, and a compensation agreement with Czechoslovakia. Speaking in May, 1933, he said the restoration of an Austro-Hungarian union under the Hapsburgs was out of the question—a statement which was a blow to the Hungarian Legitimists whose hopes had been rising. To have a king, the Premier fcbntinued. would not help Hungary in her terrible difficulties. “If we had a king, he would have to be truly Hungarian. I will never co-operate in the restoration of an Austrian King.” In a reference to the Nazi propaganda for the union of Austria with Germany he declared that Hungary’s demand for treaty revision had nothing to do with Germany’s demands in the same direction, and would be pursued separately. The reason for this statement was that . Hitlerite propaganda for ■an extension of Germany’s frontiers into Hungary had made great progress among the uerman minority in Hungary, and that Prince Sixte., of Bourbon-Parma, had visited Budapest to persuade General Gombos that the only way to save Austria and part of Hungary from eventual annexation by Germany was a ‘.‘personal union’ - under a Hapsburg monarch. This effort had failed. The Premier in June visited Hitler at Berlin, and in July conferred with Dr. Dollfuss, the Austrian Chancellor, in Vienna. General Gombos declared that he had gone to Berlin solely to gain economic advantages for Hungary. After his talk with Dr, Dollfuss it was announced that the two premiers had decided to consult each other on all important matters. Austria and Hungary, said General Gombos, were economically depencmt on each other. Hungary was bent an abandoning the policy of self-sufficiency and he hoped Austria would do the same. A keen student of politics, he learned various languages, including English. He set himself the task of - breaking down the tariff walls which are hampering the trade of the central European states. An Important Agreement

Tn March, 1934. on the eve of his visit to Rome, General Gombos denied that there was any idea of forming a political alliance between Italy, Hungary, and Austria, as such alliances did not serve the cause of peace. He and Dr. Dollfuss then conferred with Mussolini and an agreement was signed providing for Italian trade concessions to Austria and Hungary and the maintenance of Austria’s political Independence. It declared against a Danublan bloc. In- March, 1935, General Gombos formed a new Government, Count Bethlen, having withdrawn his followers. wh»» had furnished the backbone of the former Cabinet. The Premier then dissolved Parliament, At the elections he secured a big majority and was able to dispense with the support of the Farmers' party ,of Tibor von Eckhardt, whose strength had fallen from 60 seats to 25. M. Eckhardt protested against electoral terrorism by police and Government officials. In Juhe he challenged Dr. Gombos to a duel. The Premier, as an officer, had to accept or leave , the army. On the other hand, as head of the Government, he was not entitled to break the law against duelling by civilians. The affair was settled. General Gombos denying that he had comprising documents about M. Eckhardt. Count Bethlen, who had made this assertion, regarded the Premier’s statement as suggesting that he had been lying. He therefore sent a challenge to General Gombos, but the Count accepted the Premier’s explanation. In April, 193G, however. General Gombos challenged M. Eckhardt to a duel as the outcome of the latter’s strictures on his foreign pqlicy. It was fought, but without any serious results.

Meanwhile in September, 1935, General Gombos visited Berlin where he conferred with Herr Hitler. General Goering and General von Blomberg. These conversations were believed to be due to Germany’s fear of the new pacts between Russia. Czechoslovakia, and Rumania. In March, 1936, after a conference in Rome. Signor Mussolini. General Gombos, and Dr. Schuschnigg signed an agreement by which the three countries were to consult on all joint questions and not to apply sane* tioris against Germany, if the League Council should decide on them. In 1934 General Gombos remarried his first wife, his second wife, whom he had married after his divorce, having died in 1933. It was reported In May, 1936. that he was seriously iIL