BLOODLESS DUEL

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 117, 19 May 1936, Page 5

BLOODLESS DUEL

A PREMIER FIGHTS

Premier Julius Goemboes and Tibor Eckhardt, leader of the Peasants Party, fought a bloodless pistol duel recently in. the tanbark-covered ring of the Francis Joseph cavalry, barracks. They parted without a reconciliation, says the New York.Times. Before going to the duel Premier Goemboes formally presented his resignation as Premier to Admiral Nicholas Hbrthy, the Regent, who refused to accept it. The Premier's seconds were . President, Sztraniavsky of the Chamber of "Deputies arid Secretary of State Thaly of the Finance Ministry. The duel was limited to.a single exchange ; of: shots at twenty-five paces. The cause" of the quarrel between these formerly. close. friends was Mr. Eckhardt's assertion at a ' meeting of the' Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber.' of. Deputies, that whenever Premier Goemboes touched foreign politics he. damaged Hungary's interests. When Premier Goemboes shouted "That is- . impudence!" . Mr. Eckhardt sent his seconds to the Premier. Efforts to settle the matter by a declaration by Premier Goemboes that no insult to Mr. Eckhardt was intended failed, so the Premier chose pistols for the. duel instead .of the more usual sabres. ■ ; . Duels between Hungarian statesmen are not Unusual. ' Count Tisza, who was Premier at the outbreak of the World War, fdught many duels with opposition members who he believed had insulted him. He was handicapped in fighting because he was extremely short-sighted...:..-. An official communique on the duel said that' Mr. Eckhardt sought "knightly satisfaction" but did not mention the illegality of the. duel or the possibility of an arrest. The two foes, accompanied by physicians and seconds, arrived at the barracks separately in automobiles. The duel master, examined their weapons and announced, as a formality: "I remind you, gentlemen, that-duell-ing, is against the Hungarian law, and I earnestly 'advise reconciliation."