Papers and Documents relating to the Foreign Relations of Hungary, Volume 1, 1919–1920 (Budapest, 1939)

Appendix III. Parliamentary debates

985 7. Excerpts from the Minutes of the 119th meeting of the National Assembly, November 3, 1920. Records of the National Assembly, vol. 6, pp. 228 ff. Mr. Győző Dvorcsák : A nation may be vanquished and yet be unwilling to suffer humiliation. If a nation willingly accepts humiliation, it is no longer entitled to form part of the international community. Mutilated Hungary as well as the occupied territories are deeply concerned about the impending ratification of the Trianon Treaty. It is conceivable that we will be forced to ratify as we were forced to sign. But ratification will not bring with it for the people of the occupied territories, particularly in Northern Hungary, peace of mind and acquiescence. The Czech press is full of alleged revelations ; the Czechs hope thereby to impress the world that the Slovaks are not fighting in defence of their rights but as a result of irredentist propaganda directed from Budapest. The Czechs also hope thereby to divert the attention of the Allied Powers from the incredible terror which reigns in Northern Hungary. Thousands of Hungarians are arrested or expelled daily ... If this summary process of expulsions continues, soon there will be only Czechs left in Northern Hungary. (Exclamations from the right : „There will be a time when they will flee from there.") Has the Government taken any steps to put an end to these atrocities which are contrary to international law ? .. . The expulsions are carried out in such a brutal manner that the expelled are not even allowed to attend to their personal business and to settle their financial affairs. The Czechs are eager to confiscate the property of these expelled persons — or at best to purchase it at disgraceful prices. Were we at war with the Czechs, I could understand it if these atrocities were committed in the wake of a victorious army. But the Czechs claim to be a civilized nation with whom we have concluded peace — a peace, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, which we intend to ratify. (Exclamations from the extreme left : „We do not intend to !") Therefore, we cannot allow such conditions to continue. We must resort to energetic reprisals ... [After setting forth incidents which occurred in various localities in Northern Hungary.]