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

Documents

45° 1920 another power, namely the Amsterdam bureau of the socialist Confederation. Therefore I expressed the belief that our energetic self-defence against the boycott should find understanding and sympathy, particulary in France, which, more than any other nation, has shown the world how to maintain orderly government against attacks by the socialists. I informed Mr. Lefèvre-Pontalis thereafter concerning the conversations which took place in Vienna and I added that to my knowledge the Hungarian Government, beyond giving information, has no intention of entering into negotiations concerning the demands put forward by Mr. Fimmen. The French minister stated that he fully approves our position, and he added that while he has not yet received any instructions from his Government, in his personal opinion it would be preferable for the Hungarian Government to maintain its intransigent attitude in the boycott question. He admitted that he was inclined to regard with anxiety the fact that the Hungarian Government even entered into conversations with the Amsterdam organization since he feels that this might have created a dangerous precedent; however, the information I gave him reassured him in this respect. As an interesting sidelight on the situation I should like to add that the French minister, without going into details, has indicated his disapproval of certain statements which were made by Dr. Renner to him and his British and Italian colleagues concerning the attitude of the Austrian Government with respect to the boycott. His statement was : „C'est un drôle de sorte de chef de gouvernement." The Minister told me confidentially that he reported his feelings about Dr. Renner's attitude to his government. As it has already been reported under 818/pol. of July 2nd,

1 and No. 834/pol. of July 9th,

2 the British and Italian ministers, Messrs. Lindley and Biancheri, have taken a much more lenient attitude toward the socialist action in their conversation with Dr. Gratz, than did the French minister in his conversation with me. I deemed it therefore not without interest to compare the views expressed by the chiefs of the British and Italian missions with the views expressed by the French minister." 1 Supra, Doc. No. 413. 2 Supra, Doc. No. 433.