Levéltári Közlemények, 43. (1972)

Levéltári Közlemények, 43. (1972) 2. - FORRÁSKÖZLÉS - Kanyar József: Brit diplomáciai iratok a magyarországi földreformok történetéhez, 1920–1945 / 403–417. o.

Brit diplomáciai iratok a magyarországi földreformok történetéhez 1920—1945 409 nek did not tell me more precise details, but they are sure to be published. He said that within a week or a fortnight Mr. Nagyatádi Szabó would be appointed Minister of Agriculture. Industrial Labour in Hungary. The number of workmen in employment in Budapest amounts to between 90.000 and 100.000 and he estimated that there were 200.000 industrial workers in Budapest alone; out of these 100.000 were without work. I asked him what these people were doing and he replied they were mostly engaged in smuggling food stuffs from the country and selling them at a high price. This is responsible, to a great degree, for the high prices. (signed)) R. J. E. Humphrys. PRO FO С 4350. 2. Budapest, 1921. június 16. W. A. Johnson, magyarországi brit ügyvivő főbiztos jelentése a Kisgazdapárt és a kormány viszonyáról My Lord, The reactionary spirit shown in Count Bethlen

's speech in the National Assembly, as reported in my despatch No. 268 of the 6-th instant, and several un important enactments of the Minister of Justice and the Minister of the Interior, have had their recoil in a speech made by M. Szabó Nagyatádi, the Minister of Agriculture, at a meeting of the Small Landowners' Party at Czegléd, of which I have the honour to give a short summary. After stating that the Small Landowners' Party had many enemies in the country M. Szabó proceeded to say that if matters did not improve he and his party would have to leave the Government. He was being accused in the press and country of being a „Communist and a rascal", buh that did not affect him; it was because he was the head of the strongest united party in the country that his various enemies leading fractions of parties were thus attacking him. He warned his audience that new elections were ahead of them, and that the question of a revision of the franchise was being considered, and added : „This is a very delicate question, and it is an undeniable fact that it would be an easy matter for our party to attack the Government from the benches of the opposition, and thus gain a victory at the elections." After relating his political career from the time Sir George Clerk asked him to take office down to the present day, M. Szabó complained that though he had now been continually in office and had been a member of several Governments, he had never been acquainted with „the secret branches of the Government system" ; he had never enquired as to the secret funds the Prime Ministers had at their disposal, or what they might be doing with them, but now he proposed to investigate the matter, and see how far these funds were being used by Count Bethlen only for patriotic purposes, as he had been informed that the Prime Minister was granting certain sums for propaganda purposes to press journals who were attacking the Small Landowners' Party. He was further aware that there were certain members of the Government, who with their supporters, were treating and behaving towards the adherents and candidates of the Small Farmers' Party in the country much as if they were Communists; this would have to stop, but in any case he had faith in the Small Landowners' Party, and was convinced they would gain the victory in the end. One thing was certain; they must not sacrifice the fundamental principles of their party; should this be demanded of them they must leave the Government „en bloc" at once. „Either the united Government Party has to be developed, or one of the two parties must take over the Government and effect the new elections

— The electoral right cannot be curtailed; in all the states surrounding us greater liberalism is reigning than in Hungary and the rights of citizens are more extended; even former socialists are now sitting in the Cabinets." M. Szabó concluded his speech by pointing out that the "Green International" was gaining in strength, but under a Slav propaganda, and that both in France and Germany this organisation was receiving careful attention. Under such circumstances Hungary as an agricultural community could not stand aside; they could not oppose this influence, but they would have to accomodate themselves to the world's policy. Any Hungarian statesman who could not understand this necessity was a grave danger to this country. This speech of M. Szabó's has had the effect of a storm in a teacup in the „Casinos", where Count Bethlen seems to prefer to conduct the Government of the country rather than in the National