William Penn Life, 1978 (13. évfolyam, 1. szám)
1978-01-01 / 1. szám
St. Stephen's Crown Returned After more than three decades of custody by the United States government in Fort Knox, Kentucky, the Crown of Saint Stephen has been returned to the Hungarian people by order of President Jimmy Carter. Despite objections by many, President Carter and his advisors decided, that the Crown, symbol and relic of Hungary, belongs to the Hungarian people and not in the depths of Fort Knox. As many people as one talks to, that is how many versions there are as to how the Crown got into United States possession and under what circumstances, the fact remains that President Carter who under the constitution of the United States of America determines foreign policy, made a decision based on what he believed to be facts pertaining to the Hungarian people and stuck by this decision and as of January 6, 1978 Saint Stephen’s Crown is once again back in Hungary, and from reports we have heard, it will eventually be displayed in some historical place so that the people of Hungary and Hungarians from abroad can see not only the Crown itself but the coronation accessories as well. The William Penn Association was called upon to play a role in the return of the Crown. Our National President Mr. Elmer Charles was selected, as President of the largest Hungarian Association in the United States, to accompany the Crown back to Hungary together with certain senators, congressmen, state department officials and other Americans of Hungarian descent. Included in the delegation was United States Senator Adlai E. Stevenson, Congressmen Ted Weiss from New York, Dr. Albert Szent Györgyi, Scientist, Mr. Zoltán Gombos, President Liberty Publishing Company, Dr. István Deák, Professor at Columbia University, George Green, Real Estate Developer of New York and Mrs. Marianne Sprague, Estate Planner and of course Mr. Elmer Charles, National President, William Penn Association. The Air Force plane left Andrews Airforce base in Maryland, Thursday morning, January 5th, 1978 and arrived in Budapest that evening. The United States delegation was met at the foot of the ramp by Janos Peter, Deputy President of the Parliament also Foreign Minister Frigyes Púja as well as U.S. Ambassador and Mrs. Philip Kaiser. Hungarian soldiers presented. arms while the military band played both the Star Spangled Banner and Magyar Himnusz. The Crown and coronation accessories were then taken to the Parliament and the entourage was driven to the Duna Intercontinental Hotel. The ceremonies formally turning over the Crown by Mr. Cyrus Vance, Secretary of State took place Friday, January 6th, 1978 in the Rotunda of Parliament building in Budapest on the banks of the Danube River. Receiving the Crown for the Hungarian people were President of the National Assembly Antal Apro and Pal Losonczy, President of the Presidential Counsel. After the formal ceremonies attended by all strata of the Hungarian citizenry there was a Press conference at which time photographs were taken. As we go to press these photographs are not yet available but we hope to bring them in our next issue. Upon his return, National President Charles talked about the honor which had been bestowed upon him and the William Penn Association by according to him the privilege of participating in this people to people event namely the American people through its elected representatives turning Hungarian property back to the Hungarian people the rightful owners of the Crown. It was, for him, an awe inspiring sight in the spacious rotunda of the Parliament Building in Budapest as this historical event unfolded. In addition to the Government Officials all Faiths were represented by their bishops or rabbis as well as the trade unions and the working people of the Country. Following the official ceremonies there was a State Dinner given by the Hungarian Government. On Friday there had been a luncheon for the delegation at the residence of the U.S. Ambassador Mr. Philip M. Kaiser. Saturday morning before departure there was a Press conference at the Hilton Hotel in Buda. The entourage arrived back in the United States late Saturday afternoon. We bid our National President a fond welcome home and congratulate him for once again serving when he was called upon to do so. Also present in Budapest at this historic occasion was our General Counsel, Gay B. Banes who not in official capacity but as an interested American of Hungarian descent wanted to witness the return of the Crown to the Hungarians. DRIVE CAREFULLY! The hospital is crowded. 6
