27 DECEMBER 1957, Page 11

HUNGARY Sit,—In 'A Spectator's Notebook' for November 15 you ridicule

what I broadcast over Budapest Radio by saying that the Dean of Canterbury's statement seems 'almost decent by comparison.' Mine therefore must be quite indecent by your standards. I would like your readers to decide.

I stated in my broadcast—and I reaffirm now—that for 50 fillers you can travel on Budapest Underground all the way, about the distance of our London Inner Circle. Fifty fillers represent about one halfpenny at the tourist rate of exchange, half that at the official rate. You say that my money estimates are 'signs of the extreme weakness of the forint vis-à-vis the pound.' I calculate at the rate of 64.60 forints to the pound, the official rate being only about 32 forints. On my basis of calculation, which is the tourist rate and therefore not in favour of Hungary, I found the minimum wage in Hungary came to about £5 per week, the maximum to about £12. Out of this they pay a weekly rent at the rate of 10s. for three rooms, 9s. for two rooms, 8s. for one room, plus a kitchen and a separate bathroom and lavatory in each case. Such facilities, with the security of employment guaranteed them by the Constitution of the country, spells 'liberty' as far as I am concerned, especially where actors and actresses are taken into considera- tion. Here in England we have 5,000 actors and actresses permanently unemployed. In Hungary. moreover, all ministers of religion pay no rates on their residences.

The writers sentenced were not 'leading' writers. Dery and Hay may rank as 'leading' writers. Zelk and Tardos are comparatively unknown. Whether the sentences are justified or not I am not competent to judge. Suffice it to say that on September 4 this year 171 writers issued a declaration supporting the im- portant steps taken by the Kadar Government and deploring the 'interference' in Hungary's internal affairs by the five-man committee of the United Nations.

As for the 'Good Life,' my standards are those of a clerk in holy orders, trained at the Universities of Wales, Oxford and London. And trained in Moral Philosophy. I judge a nation by the way in which it treats its working class. And by the churches belong- ing to that nation. In Hungary the churches arc full. The BBC forbade me to say sol—Yours faithfully,