The Evening Star THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1945. HUNGARY’S PLIGHT.

Evening Star, Issue 25676, 27 December 1945, Page 4

The Evening Star THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1945. HUNGARY’S PLIGHT.

Wars have been especially hard to Hungary. By the treaty which ended the First World War she lost to neighbours two-thirds of her area and half her population, including nearly onethird of that portion of it who were pure Magyars. During twenty years that followed she lived in a dream of the restoration t of territory that had been torn from her.. Her endeavour to get it back by espousing the German side in the present war was only briefly successful, and she emerges in a worse state than she knew before. A few days ago it was reported that a wholesale famine seems unavoidable in Hungary, which normally exported food on a large scale. Already deaths have been exceeding births by half as many again. By the middle of January, it was predicted, the country would be devoid of flour, of which at the present time there was no more than seven days’ stock, with a complete absence of meat, fats, and sugar. Unrra offers no help, because Unrra up to the present time has had an almost impossible task upon its hands without attempting to feed the exenemy countries of South-eastern Europe. Hungary’s relief must be ■ gained from foreign trade, and her first attempt , to restore commercial relations with her neighbours has had its own difficulties. In August last she entered into a one-year agreement for the exchange of commodities and a fiveyear economic collaboration agreement with Russia, and Britain and America took exception to it. The terms provided for the establishment of a number of large companies, to be controlled equally by Russia and Hungary. The companies would undertake the development of all branches of Hungarian industry, commerce, agriculture, and transport for the advantage of both countries According to the western view, it would give the Soviet Union a half-interest in almost the whole of Hungarian economy.. No other country would be able to look in. The Allies expressed their regret that the treaty should he negotiated without previous consideration by the Big Three, who were iointlv responsible for the restoration of Hungary. The cist of that objection has been met. after long delay, by the contracting States, and" a clause 'inserted in the treaty to leave onen the possibility of Hungary concluding similar pacts with other countries. In that form it has been ratified by the Hungarian Supreme Council.' and the Magyars will hope for the best results from it. Tt is only slowly, however, that effects of the treaty can he felt. Meanwhile the country is in a parlous state. The war was very costly to Funerary. More than a-fifthof the national wealth was lost. As a consequence of inflation

prices in Budapest two months ago ivere about a hundred times their prewar level. Potatoes were not plentiful enough to be rationed, and meat was not to be had because slaughtering was prohibited. From various causes the wheat harvest had • been reduced from twenty-two million to nine million quintals, of which, after deducting for seed, reparations, and maintenance of the Red army in Hungary, hardly more than four million quintals was available for local consumption. The restarting of industries was being blocked by shortages of coal, raw materials, and man power. Men could not work except at intervals while they had to spend a large part of their time tramping the countryside for food. Reparations to the Soviet Union were a further handicap on industry, though the Russians were considerate in their claims. One of the questions considered by the Foreign Ministers’ Conference may well have been how to keep Hungarians-alive.