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

Documents

1920 477 1. The news came from Stockholm. 2. The number of Hungarian bolsheviks in Russia, whom Béla Kun intends to organize, is approximately four thousand. 3. It is believed that in addition to the convention concerning prisoners of war which has been published, another secret — possibly oral — agreement was reached concerning cooperation between the Russian Soviet Government and Austrian Socialists. 4. It has been confirmed that the Reparation Commission in Vienna has already taken steps concerning cessation of credits and food supplies and that Chancellor Renner was informed about these steps when he returned yesterday afternoon from Gloggnitz. These rumours concerning the Austro-Russian agreement, which, in view of Béla Kun's participation, must be directed primarily against Hungary, are further strengthened by additional information obtained from Hungarian socialist and communist circles in Vienna. In view of the confidential and somewhat sarcastic reply of Tchitcherin to the mediation proposal of the British Government, it does not seem wholly fantastic to suppose that the Soviet Government, encouraged by its recent military victories, would follow the road of imperialism on which the old Russian Government trod. If the reports can be believed, the Soviet army is nearing the borders of Galicia, only a few days march distant from the Carpathian Mountains. It is known, also, that the ground in Slovakia is so well prepared by intensive communist agitation that the likelihood of a bolshevik uprising increases in proportion to the nearness of the Soviet army. There is some doubt whether Poland will be in a position to offer effective resistance on another line of defence. Even more doubtful is the position which Rumania would take in case of a further advance of the Russians ; the behaviour of Rumania, both in the Balkan wars and in the World War, does not permit placing much reliance on them. In view of all these facts I cannot regard the danger created by the Soviet advance with equanimity.