New Alignment in Hungary
However surprising the fact may be to those American observers who have seen nothing more in recent events in Hungary than the sinister 'attempt to extend Russian power, the elections there have passed off in comparative quiet and with comparative regularity. Irregularities there were, in the form of cooked electoral registers, which wrongly disfranchised some thousands of Socialists, and plural voting, which inflated the Communist influence, but by the stan- dards of Eastern Europe it was not a bad election. It is significant enough that the Socialists, although protesting at irregularities which have probably helped to reduce their representation, have not so far decided to refuse recognition to the elections. All the other parties are behaving towards each other with singular politeness. The somewhat miscellaneous Smallholders Party has paid a heavy price for its dangerous thoughts in wishing to substitute one-party
rule for the former coalition. It has been dismembered and its representation as a party has been reduced from 57 per cent. to 15.1 per cent. But on the other hand a new opposition party has arisen, the People's Democratic Party, led by M. Barankovics. 'This group, which comes second to the Communists with 16 per cent. of the total votes cast, is one more instance of the steady rise of Christian Democratic parties all over Europe. But it has not yet upset the curious air of harmony, and the Communists are already showing signs of wanting to get M. Barankovics and his friends within the fold of a governing coalition. There is no escaping the impression that peace and quiet are more easily maintained in Hungary when Russians and Americans refrain from exchanging discourtesies over the course of events there. But it would be com- pletely foolish to conclude that all is well. What has happened is that the Communist attempt to get control of power despite the wishes of the majority is not yet completely successful. It has cer- tainly not ended, and M. Barankovics, in his negotiations with the Communist leader, M. Rakosi, will do well to remember the fate of the young lady of Riga.
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