KADAR IN CONTROL

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28159, 24 December 1956, Page 11

KADAR IN CONTROL

Firm Grip On Hungary

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, December 22. The Kadar regime’s grip on Budapest is now much firmer than ever, according to the “Daily Telegraph” today.

The release of Sandor Bali, one oi the two leaders of industrial resistance in the capital, has given great satisfaction to the workers, the newspaper said. However, it would be over-optimistic to regard it purely as a political retreat by the Kadar regime. Any concessions which it now makes are deliberate rather than desperate. Sandor Racz, who was arrested with Bali, and who was more prominent than Bali in industrial resistance, is evidently still being held. Moves designed to create a mood for a “Christmas armistice” have been made by the Kadar Government. The most welcome relaxation in Budapest is evidence that the Russian troops are being pushed more and more into the background of everyday life in the capital. Further tank units are reported to have been withdrawn. These may have simply retired to winter quarters near Budapest. The only military action of any importance which the Russian Command still has to tackle is the “neutralisation” of guerrilla forces in the countryside.

Unconfirmed reports last night said sharp fighting was still going on between Russian units and armed patriot bands in the mountains north of Miskolc, and around Pecs. In both centres patriot resistance is said to be gradually weakening. Permission Refused

Permission for four senior barrister members of the British Parliament to attend the trials for treason and armed rebellion in Hungary has been refused. Justice, a new joint organisation of Conservative, Labour and Liberal lawyers’ societies, said that the four who had undertaken to go were Sir Lionel Heald. Sir Hartley Shawcross. Sir Frank Soskice (all former attor-ney-generals) and Mr J. E. S. Simon, a member of the Bar Council. Justice was formed two weeks ago with the object of assisting, by every legitimate means within their power, the defence of those charged with political crimes in Hungary. Today’s statement said that the trials in which the organisation was particularly interested were those of Sandor Racz and Sandor Bali, both leading members of the Budapest Workers’ Council.

They were arrested while visiting the Hungarian Prime Minister, Mr Janos Kadar, two weeks ago.

Justice said it was continuing to make representations about the state of law in Hungary and had put forward alternative proposals to the Kadar Government.

Christmas Gift to Hungarians.— Swiss schoolchildren have bought 600,000 slabs of chocolate as Christmas presents for Hungarian children. —Zurich, December 21.