Magyar külpolitika, 1930 (11. évfolyam, 1-7. szám)

1930 / 6. szám - The Hungarian Situation. Lecture delivered in Hull by Count Rubido Zichy, Hungarian Minister in London, in the League of Nation lecture series

24 HUNGÁRIA LLOYD November 1930 Vends) who populated mostly the bordér parte of Hungary were always mixed with Hungarians. The cause of this distribution of nationalities is principally due to the geographical position of Hungary which exposed her to invasions from the East. We have seen before that after the hívásion of the Tartaivs in the 13th century the depopulated and ravished eountry tried to reorganize Ltself by inducing foreign colon isis to settle in the devastated parts. The same process took place at the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century nftvr the Turkish rule had done its besl to diminish the nmnber of inhabitants. It was only natural that the Eastern and Southern neighbours of Hungary who still wére under the Turkish yoke Eled from that rule and were attracted by the void in Hungary wherc a comparatively civilized and Western admimistration protected tihem againsl hardships which afe generally connected with orientál administration. Beside these immigrants the Germán Habsburg rúiers quite naturally encouraged Germán immigration into Hungary and we find today prosperous Saxon and Swab settlements spread over the whole area of historic Hungary. It must not be forgottén in this connection that all these immigrants from the 'East and South excepting the Germán settlers were very humble people mostly shepherds and farm labourers who naturally lost their foreign inationality and became Hungarians, whenever they had the opportunity of acquiring a higher edueation. It is only at the end of the last years in the 19th century that the propaganda of our Eastern and Southern neighbours, then recently liberated from the Turkish rule, resulted in a conscious national feeling among the minorities in Hungary and so the reproaches against the treatment of the national minorities in Hungary bv the Hungárián Government are not quite fair. Besides, the fact that all these minorities were able to keep their own languages during the centuries preceeding the world-war points to the liberal treatment of them by the Hungárián majonty. There was a decided tendency at the last change of century in Hungárián ruling circles to adapi the constitution to the new requirements of these minorities, but — as you know yourself from your own experienee —> changes of constitution cannot be made hastily without leading to disorders especially whén — as it was in our case — all the neighbouring countries try to interfere with the intejrior political development either on their own aecountj pr backed by other rival powers; but always with a view of fishing in troubled waters. Our last Prime MinSster of the old régime Count Tisza, who possessed great political wisdom, is very well known for Aveighing in his mind the means of meeting the new requirements of the situation of the minorities. Lnfortunately, in the middle of these developments the world-war set in and so all these peaceful endeavours had to be put aside till better times, which unluckily for us, never came, as we were beaten in the war and thanks to a very vigorous and to my mind rather unscrupulous propaganda, the eountry of our forefathers was torn into pieces by the peace treaties concluded in the neighbourhood of Paris, the treaty concerning Hungary being signed at the Trianon in Yersailles. It goes without saying that this drastic reshaping of the South Eastern part of Europe did ool go without almost unimaginable hardships for the individual and without, a generál disorganisation of llic political and economic life of an area which is populated by nearly 70 millión people. Especially hard hit is my eountry which is comparable to the body ni' a man whosé limbs were all tóra from him. The remaining trunk cut off from the sea, robbed of 80 per cent of its niineral wealth and surrounded by neigbours füled with suspicions, looked as if on the poinl of annihilation. We had to provide for an pntirely new political and economic organization making the besl of a bad job. I Iliink we have succeeded above expectation, thanks to a great deal to the League of Nations who gave Hungary its invaluable help when we had to raise our Beconstruction Loan in 1923. I hope the investors have till now no cause for complaint as I see that the loan isfiued at a price of 88, stands to-day above 100. It must, however, not be forgottén that the Hungárián Government on its part immediately realised the great importance of the League of Nations, and joined it as soon as she was admitted by the other powers. Since I think the Hungárián Government has always tried to be a useful member of this great institution in Geneva and has folloved every lead which in our opinion could contribute to the stabilisation of a peaceful development in Europe. Here 1 want to mention the fact, that Hungarv was one of the first nations whose government signed the Optional Ciause of the Arbitration Treaty, and that my Government, following the advice of the most proeminent members of the League of Nations has concluded a series of Arbitration Treaties with other nations I can further assure you that the readiness of Hungary to develop the system of mutual arbitration still c'xi-ts and that we are always only too glad to come to a settlement in this direction with any nation where there are no unsurmountahle obstaeles in the way. Our present Government and its able leader, Count Bethlen, are striving as hard as they can to steer our little eountry through the present economio difficulties which are felt over the whole world and which doubly weigb on the shoulders of a state üke Trianon — Hungary. There are all the time eriticisms heard w7hich leulminate in the denouncing of the Hungárián electoral laws, of the generál tendencies of administration and other points. which to my mind are of secondary importance, and which cannot be fairly judged from outside and without a thorough knowledge of the conditions and the individuality of the nation. Tt is caracteristic that the majority of these eriticisms emanate from people who live öutsidé Hungary and had only a very eursory personal knowledge of the eountry, if any. It is true thai somé of the eriticisms come from Hungárián sources but 1 can assure you that the background of all these is, with hárdly any exception, political ambition and can be summarised by the Prench saying „Otes toi pour que je tn'y nicttc" which means in English: leave your chair and I will sit on it. I don't pretend that our Governmenti is without faults and T Iliink nobody knows of a faultless linman organisatibn, but I