Fraternity-Testvériség, 1978 (56. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)

1978-01-01 / 1. szám

Six U. S. presidents kept the Crown in the United States waiting for the time when it could be returned to Hungary which would no longer be occupied by the Russian troops and which had a government freely elected by the Hungarian people. When Jimmy Carter and his family viewed America’s historic documents at the National Archives in Washington, during Nixon’s presidency he claimed that “We didn’t think of them as Nixon’s Bill of Rights and Nixon’s Constitution, but we thought of them as belonging to the people.” Accordingly, when Jimmy Carter became president, he ruled that the Crown “belongs to the Hungarian people and it should be with them.” It was a daring decision, contrary to the views held by his six predecessors. The announcement of returning the Crown of Hungary was made on November 4, 1977, on the eve of the anniversary of the Soviet attack on the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. The Hungarian-Americans were shocked and insulted by the president’s unexpected decision. The emotional response was even more so by the Hungarian freedom fighters who fled to the west for safety from the invading Russian troops in fear of their lives and the expected brutal retaliation. A demonstration was hastily organized for November 9 in Washington, D. C. It was not against the President, a position the Hungarian-Americans hold in respect and high honor. The demonstration was held to persuade the President and Congress not to return the Crown to Hungary because this was not the right time. It was pointed out that Russia still has at least 60,000 soldiers in Hungary. Logic dictates to wait until they leave. Then return the crown to the Hungarian people which have the right to freely elect its government. The statement made by Patrick Buchanan was still fresh in the minds and a painful thorn in the hearts of the Hungarian-Americans that “when Communist Bela Kun seized power following World War I, he offered to sell it to the British for 4,000 pounds.”

Representative Mary Rose Oakar introduced HR6643, a bill entitled the “Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen Protection Act”. On the date of the demonstration the International Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East met. According to an article of Suzanna McBee published in the Washington Post “a source said that subcommittee members will not vote on a bill designed to stop the return. All we’re doing is providing a forum to let off steam.” At the hearing Mr. Matthew Nimets represented the State Department. Mr. László Pásztor, president of the American Hungarian Federation Board of Directors presented the statement prepared by Mr. László L. Eszenyi. (Mr. Pásztor in his report at the Cleveland Board meeting said “that the cooperation he

received from Mr. Eszenyi was praiseworthy.) Hie statement was followed by the testimony of Dr. Zoltán Beky, Bishop Emeritus and national president of the American Hungarian Federation. Ft. Julian Fuzer opposed the return of the Crown as the president of the Catholic League. Louis Lote, Dr. Janos Nadas, Dr. András Pogány and Joseph Kovago the 1945-47 Mayor of Budapest also testified against returning the Crown to Hungary. At the hearing Ferenc Nagy, former prime minister of Hungary until 1947, General Bela Király and the former Ambassador to Hungary supported president Carter’s decision to return the Crown. A delegation of ten persons were invited to the White House where they met vice-president Mondale and later president Jimmy Carter. The President stated that it was his decision to return the Crown to the Hungarian people. He asked the delegates to make suggestions on what should the U. S. ask for returning the Crown. Recognition and thanks should be expressed to the Subcommittee members, Chairman Hamilton, Horton, Zabloczki and Mary Rose Oakar for their courtesy, good-will, patience and understanding.

A second demonstration was held on November 29th in Washington, D. C. Chartered buses coming from Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, New Brunswick, New York, Passaic, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Richmond brought 3000 Hungarian- Americans to participate in the demonstration. It was a cold-rainy day in Washington. The demonstrators assembled at the Washington monument and marched in an orderly manner before the White House to the Capitol to support the bill submitted by Mary Rose Oakar to the Congress. The bad weather did not discourage the demonstrators. Derwin- ski (111.), Dorner (Calif.), Horton (Buffalo), Oakar (Cleveland), Pursell (Mich.) representatives pledged their support in the House and Dole, Hayakawa, Helms, McClure, Thurmond in the Senate. Mary Rose Oakar, Congresswoman presented to the White House the statements of the American Hungarian Federation and the Cleveland Hungarian Congress requesting not to return the Crown to Hungary. Dr. Géza Eles Szentmiklossy contacted two Washington law firms concerning the feasability of preventing the return of the Crown of Hungary by the U. S. Courts. Mrs. Eleanor Schlaffly, the executive director of the Mindszenty Foundation claimed that Cardinal Mindszenty before his death said that the Crown must not be returned until by “God’s grace, Hungary is once again a free and independent nation.” Dr. Antal Endrey, an expert and author on the Crown came from Australia to lecture on the history of the Crown to the Hungarian-Americans.

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