HUNGARY’S ATTITUDE

Grey River Argus, 16 July 1943, Page 5

HUNGARY’S ATTITUDE

Reported Offer NOT TO OPPOSE ALLIES.

f Anct & NZ. Cable Asrn 1 (Rec. 11.20.) NEW YORK, July 15. The “New York Times’s” Cairo correspondent, stated: The Hungarian Government recently informed Britain that the Hungarian Army would not resist Allied Powers jf they invaded the Danubian Basin. Shortly after this offer, Count Betnlen, a former Hungarian Prime Minister, despatched a personal pledge to the Allies that Hungarians would not oppose an Allied invasion of the Balkans if certain guarantees were given, including a promise not to bomb Budapest. Mr Sulzberger adds: The offer may be part of war nerves, or a trap, but experienced observers are of the opinion it is neither. The British Government replied that it took an extremely poor view of the weird suggestions. Informed circles emphasise that the Allies consider Hungary just as much an enemy land as any cither Axis Partner, and that Hungary must therefore submit to terms of unconditional surrender. However, Hungarian advances are taken as a sign that the country is increasingly war weary, and ready to do almost anything to get out of the trap it set for itself when the Axis fortunes looked good. This spirit has even reflected in Hungarian newspapers, several of which are almost openly for the Allies. For example, the schedule for speeches by Mr Roosevelt and Mr Churchill were splashed on the front page, giving the hour in Central European time, thus informing readers when to turn on the radios.