Secret Police Among Hungarian Refugees

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28160, 26 December 1956, Page 7

Secret Police Among Hungarian Refugees

(Rec. 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 24. Miss Anna Kethley. the former Hungarian Minister, said last night that Hungarian secret police agents were coming to the United States as refugees. They had orders to spy on the real victims of Soviet aggression, she said in a television interview. Miss Kethly, the only Cabinet member of the Imry Nagy Government to escape to the West, said she did not know how many such agents had already arrived. Asked if there were many, she replied: “Perhaps.” She said she knew of no way such agents could be uncovered. In Toronto on Saturday, the Canadian Immigration Minister (Mr J. W. Pickersgill), said any hysteria over the possibility of a few Communist agents slipping into Canada with Hungarian refugees could slow down the flow of refugees. In an address to the Jewish Immigrant Aid Service of Canada, he said that, with the best screening devised, such numbers of people could not be moved without ‘ a few Communist agents getting through. “I can’t persuade myself there won’t be more,” he said. “But are we going to get hysterical about a lew people whose influence will be practically nil? Are we going to make this an excuse to hold Hungarian people at arm’s length and slow down the movement?” Thirty-eight Olympic Games athletes and officials who are seeking asylum in the United States, arrived in San Francisco today by plane from Australia. They included 21 male and nine girl athletes from Hungary, four officials from Hungary and four Rumanian athletes.

They were greeted by Mr Goodwin Knight, Governor of California, Mr George Christopher, Mayor of San

Francisco, and a large delegation of Hungarian-Americans.

In the party was Laszlo Tabori, of Hungary, one of the world’s nine fourminute milers. He said he hoped to run the mile during the United States winter indoor track season.

The refugee athletes are to fly to New York tomorrow.

“Silent Night” Played On Budapest Radio

(Rec. 8 p.m.) BUDAPEST, Dec. 24. The Communist-controlled Budapest radio tonight broadcast recordings of the Christmas carol, “Silent Night.”

Surprised listeners said it was the first time they had heard a carol broadcast over the radio since the Communist accession to power eight years ago.

CABLE NEWS IN BRIEF

Traffic Deaths in America.— At least 442 persons died in traffic accidents before two-thirds of the long Christmas holiday week-end in the United States was over. The total accident death roll reached 537. Of the 95 not killed on the roads, 29 died in fires.—New York, December 24. Explosive Catch.— Twelve-year-old Jimmy Tuttori, of Herne Bay, went fishing in the Parramatta river at Balmain and caught a sugar bag containing enough gelignite to blow up a city building. Sydney detectives are investigating a theory that it was dumped by a safe-breaking gang.— Sydney, December 25. Dockers Boycott Soviet Ship.— A boycott by local dockers in protest at Russian actions in Hungary has forced the Russian ship. Stanislavsky (4500 tons) to leave Liverpool with her cargo from Leningrad still on board.—Liverpool, December 24. New Figurehead for Cutty Sark.— Two blocks of rare Canadian white pine will be brought to London on Friday to make a new figurehead for the Cutty Sark, one of the last of the old sailing clippers now permanently berthed at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. —London, December 24. Football in Britain.— Results of today’s English football league matches were:—League 2: Notts County 1, Huddersfield Town 2. League 3: South Bournemouth 3, Aidershot 2. —London, December 24.