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

Appendix III. Parliamentary debates

952 behalf — and if he were present, I admit that he could voice that objection — that he said similar things even during the war and he did indeed remark in his speech that he had voiced such statements against Germany even at that time. But I believe his position was different then when an expression regarding certain incidents took courage here in the House. Such a speech now in the House entitled to represent the reborn Hungary and destined to give directions for the future creates a different situation. Such a statement has far more weight today, from this House, than had his utterances at that time. This is about all I wished to say from this place and for which I wanted to utilize the first opportunity. I do not believe that I have satisfied every hope, every desire and every wish. I can hardly speak with the clarity and conviction with which, let us say, a private person could talk about these things. Not when I feel the responsibility that if I, as a private person, should reveal any hopes I might have, I would thereby raise the hopes of an easy-believing nation. I do not want to offer more hope from this place than reason actually calls for. Those reasonable hopes are that there is consideration for our cause, there is a realization that Hungary will have to be reckoned with in the future and that the achievements of the Hungarian Peace Delegation and the accomplishments in the country itself in the way of consolidation are having their effects abroad. If we can have hope, if we persevere on this path, if we are persistent that justice must be done and if we can preserve our moral strength and uphold our unity, then we shall, step by step and perhaps at a quicker pace, arrive at a better future, and with due allowance for the conditions inevitably following a World War, at a Hungary which shall be again strong and again . . . Gaston Gaal : Be the historic one! Count Paul Teleki : . . . will be a strong Hungary which will take the place due to her in Eastern Europe (Approval) and the people of that Hungary will be happy also. But that depends on this people itself and that is why I repeatedly appeal to the National Assembly to take the lead in pointing out the road toward consolidation. There have been signs recently that such an objective is being sought not only here but in other countries as well if only the way can be found. (Approval.) With this appeal, I take my office, as it were, before the National Assembly, requesting you to support me in this very strenuous task and to support me in the knowledge that a good internal policy can be the only basis of a good foreign policy; only in this can it have its roots. (Approval.)