Ext 6116/46(S) 'Secret Weekly Political Intelligence Summaries, nos 356-416, August 1946-November 1947' [‎297v] (604/978)

not be secure until the workers in the
South had the same standard of living as
those in the North. This is a laudable
ambition, but one unlikely to be achieved
for many years.
THE VATICAN
Broadcasting on the 2nd June, his
Saint's Day, Pope Pius XII surveyed the
world and found it full of wickedness and
woe, of tyranny and fear, and he urged
Christians to take courage from the Divine
promise and bestir themselves before it was
too late. His speech could be summed up
in the opening line of the 12th century
hymn ‘ £ Hora novissima, tem'pora 'pessima,
nunc vigilemus” 1947 had so far given
many problems but few solutions. The
wounds of war were not healed, hatred was
increased. Security was spoken of but not
achieved, and victors used or tolerated the
evil methods they had fought. Universal
prosperity had not come, and the
“economic inertia” of poor countries
might well ruin the economy of the
prosperous. Freedom had been a watch
word; but true freedom could only exist
in countries where “law and right were
Sovereign and the dignity of individuals
and of other nations was held in respect.”
“A succession of fruitless conferences”
made the people despair : the ingenuity of
the false prophets of atheism who live on
discord and hatred bewildered them; yet,
as Christians, they know that the Christian
virtues of faith, hope and charity, and the
strength of Christian principles ensure that
“ even in the most serious conflict of human
and national interests there is always room
for a peaceful solution.” The greatest
danger to recovery the Pope saw in the
disgust of youth with the capacity and the
ideals of their elders—a disgust which
looked like ending in pure nihilism.
His Majesty’s new Minister to the Holy
See, Mr. Victor Perowne, assumed charge
on the 6th January. Sir D’Arcy Osborne,
the retiring Minister had served for eleven
years, five of which he spent inside the
Vatican City itself.
SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE
Hungary
The dominant note sounded by officially-
inspired comment on the speedy resolution
of the Hungarian crisis is that of self-con
gratulation. M. Nagy’s decision to remain
in Switzerland was taken on the advice of
his Smallholder counsellors, and with the
apparently disinterested concurrence of M.
Rakosi, who felt that no useful purpose
could be served by his return. His com
plicity seems to be generally admitted even
among those who are well-disposed towards
him, while, according to an alleged state
ment of M. Kovacs, “ Nagy knew every
thing and did not take any steps.” H^s
now said to be considering the ideaWf
forming a Government in exile to represent
Hungary before the United Nations.
Whether from fear, disillusionment or
the conviction that the moment for action
has not arrived, protests against the coup
have been noticeably lacking. M. Ban, the
Social Democratic Minister of Industry,
is reported to be aware of the Communist
danger but to hold the view that, so long
as the Soviet Army is in Hungary, no
effective stand can be made, though M.
Rakosi’s renewed insistence on the theme
of ultimate fusion suggests that postpone
ment may deprive the Social Democrats of
their last vestige of independence.
Moderate Social Democratic opinion, while
favouring the disfranchisement of persons
who were “ B ” listed for political reasons,
lays stress on the importance of a free
election, but the Minister of Justice, M.
Ries, is collaborating closely with the Com
munists over the question of preparing a
revised electoral register. He has declared
himself in favour of excluding not only the
offenders themselves but also the relations
of all those condemned for war crimes,
crimes against the nation and the viola
tion of the Law for the Protection of Demo
cracy. In addition he recommends the dis
franchisement for a period of from three
to five years of former Arrow Cross mem
bers, a reform which, if faithfully
executed, would affect numerous Com
munists who sought immunity in the Party
after the liberation.
M. Nagy and Fr. Varga have been ex
pelled from the Smallholders’ Party and
threatened with loss of nationality if they
refuse to comply with the forthcoming
order to return within sixty days. The
substitution of the unknown and inex
perienced M. Implom in the place of Fr.
Balogh as Secretary-General of the Party
means a further serious weakening of the
Smallholders who relied for intellectual
leadership on the able if unscrupulous
priest, now ironically consigned to a
monastery. Other resignations include
those of M. Kbvargo, Mayor of Budapest,
and, according to an unconfirmed report,
of M. Nyarady, Minister of Finance. M.
Arpad Szabo is to succeed Fr. Varga as
President of the National Assembly, and
M. Szekfii, Ambassador to Moscow, has