Papers and Documents relating to the Foreign Relations of Hungary, Volume 2, 1921 (Budapest, 1946)

Documents

8i6 1921 Although the legislation of the country has long been inspired by principles of liberty and justice, and although the Hungarian Law XLIV, of 1868 includes all necessary guarantees for the effective protection of minorities, the Hungarian Government, in a Decree, No. 4044/1919, summarized anew the rights and the prerogatives enjoyed in Hungary by racial minorities. Finally, it should be pointed out that "Commissioners" have been appointed for the benefit of the Rumanian and Slovak minorities. The duty of these Commissioners is to safeguard the rights of the minorities and to ensure their free moral and material development. The Hungarian Government is not blind to the incompleteness of the work so far accomplished in the execution of the Treaty. Various measures still remain to be taken; others are being carried out. But the work of the Hungarian Government, though imperfect, allows no room for doubt as to the sincerity of its firm wish loyally to carry out the Treaty. A hurricane of death and destruction has passed over Hungary. She has emerged from this ordeal, torn, dismembered, deprived of her wealth and her resources. A Hungary so weakened is incapable of constituting a danger to any of her neighbours. This country, which has been so sorely tried, turns towards the League of Nations, hoping to see a ray of light and hope amid the gloom of the dark days through which she is passing. No. 730. 334/res. pol. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Count Bánffy, to the Minister of Hungary in Vienna, Mr. Masirevich. [TRANSLATION J BUDAPEST, August 18, 1921. With reference to your code telegram No. 323 of August 17.

1 I should like to make the following statement with a view to communicating this information in appropriate form to Chancellor Schober. We fully recognize and appreciate the efforts of Chancellor Schober to find a solution of the Burgenland question 1 Cf. infra, Docs. No

s. 708 and 724. 2 Cf. supra, Doc. No. 707»