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BOX-FOLDER-REPORT: 30-3-72
TITLE:             Comparison of "Trybuna Ludu" Summary with Original "Pravda" Articles on NAGY Execution
BY:                
DATE:              1958-6-30
COUNTRY:           Hungary
ORIGINAL SUBJECT:  Evaluation and Research Section
THEMATIC SUBJECTS: Hungary--1956-1965, Hungary--1956 Revolution, Political Persecution

--- Begin ---

Hungary

"B" DISTRIBUTION - 335
30 JUKE 1958

RPE HEWS & INFORMATION SERVICE - EVALUATION & RESEARCH SECTION

Editorial Unit

COMPARISON OP "TRYBUNA LUDU" SUMMARY WITH ORIGINAL
"PRAVDA" ARTICLE ON NAGY EXECUTION

The Polish Party daily "Trybuna Ludu" published on June 25 a
summarized version of the MOSCOW "Pravda" editorial of June 24
attacking the "hue and cry" in the West over the execution of
Imre Nagy.

Below we publish in the left hand column the complete English
translation of the "Pravda" article and on the right the Polish
version, showing which passages have been directly quoted,
which have been summarized and which have been omitted. (Note
that the "Pravda" version is the English translation broadcast
by Tass; the "Trybuna Ludu" version is a translation from the
Polish by the RFE Evaluation translators. Some of the apparent
differences in the two versions my be due to the fact that the
letter is "second-hand" translation.)

* * *

"PRAVDA"

WHY THE PATRONS OP THE ENEMIES
OF PEOPLE'S HUNGARY TAKE
ALARM

In recent days official quarters
in the United States and other
Western powers have again
launched a campaign against the
Hungarian People's Republic and
all socialist countries in
connection with the sentence passed
by the Supreme Court of Hungary
in the case of Imre Nagy, the
traitor to the Hungarian people,
and his accomplices.

A campaign has also been
conducted in the reactionary press.

"TRYBUNA LUDU"

"PRAVDA" ON THE REACTION OF THE
WEST TO THE IMRE NAGY CASE
(The Polish version does not
quote the original "Pravda
"heading.)

Summarized:

MOSCOW, PAP. -- The daily
"Pravda", writing about the
campaign which has been
launched by official circles
in the US and other Western
countries against the
Hungarian People's Republic and
other socialist countries in
connection with the sentence
of the Hungarian Supreme Court
in the case of Imre Nagy and
his group, declares among
other things:

[page 2]

"PRAVDA"
"TRYBUNA LUEU"

Fascist-minded elements in some
capitalist countries are
staging provocations against the
Diplomatic Missions of the
Hungarian People's Republic and the
Soviet Union and are raiding the
premises of Communist Parties
and other progressive
organizations. These provocative
actions are well organized, the
pogrom mongers enjoy the
patronage of the police and the
authorities.

One cannot help noticing that
the tactics of the imperialist
forces in recent days are very
much reminiscent of their
tactics of autumn 1956, when the
reactionaries in the United
States, Britain and Prance,
having raised a hysterical
clamor around events in Hungary,
started the Anglo-Israeli
aggression against Egypt, in an
effort to bury the independence
of that country and to strike a
blow at the entire national
liberation movement of the
eastern people.

It will be recalled that
simultaneously a reactionary campaign
was launched against the
Communist Parties, against the
working class of France, the
Netherlands, Belgium and other
capitalist countries.     

At that time, in 1956, the
imperialist conspiracy was
thwarted by the rapid defeat of the
counter-revolution in Hungary,
the resolute action of all
peace loving peoples against the
tripartite aggression in Egypt, the
devoted struggle of the West
European working people against
the fascist provocations.

Since then much has changed in
the world. The strength of the
socialist camp has immeasurably
increased.

Quoted:
"Fascist elements in certain
capitalist countries are
organizing provocations against the
diplomatic representations of
Hungary and the USSR; they are
assaulting the seats of Communist
Parties and other progressive
organizations. These provocative
undertakings have the character
of an organized action and those
taking part in violence are enjoying
the protection of the police and
the authorities.

"It cannot be. overlooked that the
tactics of the imperialist forces
in recent days recall increasingly
the tactics applied by them in
autumn 1956, when reactionary
circles in the US, England and
Prance, while raising a hysterical
uproar around the Hungarian events,
launched an Anglo-French-Israeli
aggression in Egypt, trying to bury
the independence of this country
and to inflict a blow upon the
whole national liberation movement
in the East. As is known, at the
same time a reactionary crusade
was launched against Communist
Parties and against the
Working class of Prance, Holland, Belgium
and other capitalist countries.

"Then in 1956 the quick shattering
of the counter-revolution in
Hungary, the determined attitude
of all the peace-loving nations
against the triple aggression in
Egypt and the devoted struggle of
the Western European working
masses against fascist provocations
put an end to the imperialist plot.

"Since that time many things have
changed in the world. The power
of the socialist camp has greatly
increased and has been consolidated.

[page 3]

"PRAVDA"
"TRYBUNA LUDU"

Contrary to the empty boasts of
the ringleaders of imperialist
policy, alleging that they
succeeded in provoking a "crisis
of Communism", the unity of the
Communist and workers parties of
the socialist countries is now
stronger then ever before.

This is even acknowledged in a
way by the opponents of
Communism. In November 1957 the
British conservative newspaper
"Daily Telegraph and Morning
Post", commenting on the
conference of representatives of
Communist and workers parties
in MOSCOW, which drafted a decal
ration, the most important
programatic document of
contemporary Communism, asked who could
forecast in November last, when
the events in Hungary and Poland
were at their highest, that all
Communist Parties, except
Yugoslavia, would agree to sign a
declaration on common purposes?

Such reactionary newspapers as
the "New York Times" spoke of
"Communist unity", the
"organizational cohesion" of the
Communist movement. A decisive
factor making for the further
cohesion of the entire
socialist camp was the consistent
application of the principles of
proletarian internationalism,
the allegiance of all fraternal
Communist and workers parties
to the glorious battle standard
of Marxism-Leninism.

The peace-loving policy pursued
by the Soviet Union, the
specific proposals made by the USSR
for a relaxation of
international tension, the increased
economic co-operation between the
socialist countries and the Afro
Asian countries, helped to
strengthen the spirit of
peaceful coexistence.

The principles of Bandung have
struck firm roots in the minds

Omitted

[page 4]

"PRAVDA"
"TRYBUNA LUDU"

of millions of people in all
countries. The forces of the
national liberation movement
have gained in strength not
only in Asia but also in Africa
and Latin America. A
powerful international movement has
sprung up in defense of peace,
against the atomic threat,
against military blocs and the
"cold war".

Omitted

At the same time the
imperialist world and its main bastion
-- the United States -- have
been confronted by an economic
crisis. The working people
have stepped up their struggle
against the offensive by the
monopolies.

The fear of reactionary Western
circles of normalization of
international affairs and
discontinuation of the "cold war",
thus has its reasons. They were
recently discussed by Dorothy
THOMPSON, the American
journalist, in the "Washington Star".

She said that for decades a
factor making for industrial boom
in the United States was the
expenditure for a shooting war,
for a cold war and for war
preparations... (Tass ellipses).
War and war preparations had
become America's biggest business.
The business activity of four
major American corporations.
This was the main export item.

The United States, she said,
did not want any radical
disarmament to infringe the
interests of the stock exchange and
to give rise to queues of
unemployed for charity... (Tass
ellipses)

It is highly important for
American big business to
maintain international tension,
just now when crisis symptoms
are most manifest in the United

Summarized:
Continuing, the "Pravda"
article asserts that the
great American capital, and
first of all the arms
producers, are for the
maintenance of international tensi??
especially at present when
the economic recession in the
United States is being felt.

[page 5]

"PRAVDA"
"TRYBUNA LUDU"

States economy. The creation of
a normal situation will
inevitably lead to the restoration of
normal economic life and the
expansion of business contacts
between the Western countries and
the countries of the socialist
camp. The death merchants
understand full well that their goods
will not be in demand if normal
economic relations exist between
States. Military bases,
armaments exports, supplies of
military equipment will no longer
bring such big profits as they
do today. The magazine of Wall
Street declared with
cynical bluntness that many
manufacturers undoubtedly expected that a
revival of international tension
would bring them bigger defense
expenditure.... (Tass ellipses)

Summarized:
(See previous page)

The American press states quite
openly that the Imre Nagy trial
has provided a splendid pretext
to bury summit talks which would
lead to the relaxation of
tension.

The "New York Times"
correspondent, DOTY, writes that the
present situation, as is
contended, should be used to
persuade the entire Western world
of the wisdom of the cautious
diplomacy conducted by Secretary
of State DULLES. It is common
knowledge that it is this very
"brinkmanship" that has led the
Western powers into an impasse
and met with the emphatic
condemnation by all peace-loving
peoples.

"New York Herald Tribune"
columnist LIPPMANN,
characterizing the positions of certain
United States circles, writes
that their purpose is to drive
the Russians from Europe, from
Africa and from a large part of
Asia, if possible to their
prewar positions.

It is not difficult to see that

Quoted:
"The American press sincerely
asserts," "Pravda" goes on,
"that the case of Imre Nagy
is a perfect pretext for
burying summit negotiations
which would lead to the easing
of international tension. The
correspondent of the 'New
York Times', DOTY, writes that
the present situation 'should
be exploited, as they say, in
order to convince the whole
Western world about the wisdom
of the cautious diplomatic
line taken by Secretary of
State DULLES'.

"As is known, it is a matter
of the same 'on the verge of
war' line as a result of which
the Western countries have
found themselves in an
impasse and which has been strongly
condemned by all the
peace loving nations.

"The columnist LIPPMANN of
'New York Herald Tribune', while
describing the attitude of
certain United States circles
writes that 'it is their aim to
oust the Russians from Europe
again... from Africa and from

[page 6]

"PRAVDA"
"TRYBUNA LUDU"

this "purpose" is a repetition
of the old, long since
discredited adventurist policy of
encroachment on the socialist
countries and their friendly
relations with the independent
countries of Asia and Africa.

To those who are dreaming of
attaining so crazy a "goal" we can
give old advice: have a glass of
cold water, gentlemen! And if
that does not help them, the
lovers of military adventures
should do well to remember that
the socialist countries have
everything necessary at their
disposal to strike back at any
aggressor and to make him give
up any intention of
encroaching on the socialist camp.

the major part of Asia -- if
possible to the pre-war
positions'.

"It is not difficult to come to
the conclusion that this 'aim'
is a repetition of the long
bankrupt adventurist policy of
assaults against socialist
countries and against their friendly
relations with the independent
nations of Africa and Asia.

"The following old advice can be
given to those who are dreaming
about the realization of such a
mad 'aim': Gentlemen, take a
drink of cold water, and if the
does not help, then let those
who want war adventures remember
that the socialist countries
have at their disposal
everything indispensable to beat any
aggressor and will make him once
and for all lose all desire to
raise his hand against the
socialist camp.

By their military gambling
monopoly circles of the Western
powers are trying to find a way
out from their economic and
political difficulties.

The imperialist circles of the
United States and some other
Western countries have renewed
attempts in recent months to
undermine the independent
policies of such nations as India,
Burma, Indonesia, and Ceylon.
The propaganda campaign in the
American and other bourgeois
press, spearheaded against the
governments and individual
leaders of those countries, has
been going on behind the
signboard of "anti-Communism".

Omitted

Today it is in the Arab world
that the tension is at its
greatest. Imperialist powers
are prepared to intervene in
Lebanon, whose people are
fighting for their independence and
against the infamous
"DULLESEISENHOWER doctrine".

Large naval and air forces of
the United States and Britain
are massed in the vicinity of
Lebanon and are waiting for the


Quoted:
"At present the tension in the
Arab East is at its greatest.
The imperialist countries are
on the threshold of
intervention in the Lebanon where the
nation is struggling for
independence against the notorious
'DULLES and EISENHOWER doctrine'

"Considerable forces of the
United States and English navy
and air force are concentrated
at the gates of the Lebanon

[page 7]

"PRAVDA"
"TRYBUNA LUDU"

go-ahead. American, British and
Frenah arms are being delivered
to Lebanon. The aggressive
BAGHDAD Pact system has been set
into motion. Israeli troops are
poised in readiness on the
Lebanese frontier.

The United States and Britain
have succeeded in getting United
Nations "observers" sent to the
Lebanon, to cover up the
preparations for intervention by
the flag of this international
organization.

An important intervention in
Lebanon would mean creating a
common war front of colonialists
from Lebanon all the way to
Algeria with the prospect of
this front being extended into
the depth of Africa and Asia.
Such an intervention would
spell a grave danger to the
independence of all Asiatic
nations.

It is to divert the attention
of world public opinion from
their aggressive scheming that
the imperialist powers have
started a fuss over the Imre
Nagy trial and set about
whipping up an unrestrained
"anti-Communist" hysteria.
awaiting the signal to land.
American, English and French
arms are being directed to the
Lebanon. The system of the
aggressive BAGHDAD Pact has been
put into operation. The Israeli
forces are standing in readiness
at the Lebanese frontier. The
United States and England have
forced the delegation of UN
observers to go to the Lebanon,
thus trying to cover with the
flag of this international
organization the preparations for
intervention. Imperialist
intervention in the Lebanon would
mean the creation of a uniform
military front of colonialists
from the Lebanon to Algeria with
the prospect of its being moved
further into Africa and Asia.
An intervention of this kind
would seriously threaten the
independence of all Asiatic
countries.

"Exactly in order to divert the
attention of world opinion from
their aggressive plans the
imperialist powers have raised a
fuss over the case of Imre Nagy
and resorted to whipping up
unrestrained 'anti-Communist'
hysteria.

The traitor to the Hungarian people
is being mourned by the State
Department of the United States
while American-supplied arms
are being used to shoot
Lebanese patriots.

An associated press
correspondent reports that the United
States wants an urgent meeting
of the so-called "United Nations
Special Committee for Hungary"
to consider the sentence passed
on Imre Nagy, the traitor.

Weeping crocodile tears are
representatives of the British
Government, the men who are
responsible for the unceasing

Omitted

[page 8]

"PRAVEA"               

bloodletting in Kenya and

elsewhere. Hollow praises to the
mercenaries of imperialism are
being sung by a spokesman of the
French foreign office who seems
naive enough to think that the
world has forgotten all about
the continued atrocities of
French colonialists in Algeria.

Western aggressive circles are
prepared to use anything which
suits their selfish purpose in
order to aggravate the
international situation, to fan up
the "cold war" again, to make
summit talks impossible and
launch open military adventures
as soon as they find it
possible .

This adventuristic policy is in
the eyes of monopoly circles of
the United States and Britain
a way to "salvation" from the
deepening economic crisis and
to putting down the large
scale democratic movement for
peace and social progress in
their countries. This is
exactly the reason why
reactionary circles in the West have
resorted to a hysterical hue and
cry over the condign punishment
meted out to the Imre Nagy
clique of traitors,

The Hungarian people have
punished the traitors in the
way they deserved. It is clear
to everyone that this is
something which is of domestic
concern to the Hungarian people
and in which nobody has any
right to interfere. The
opponents of international
detente have dropped the mask by
having stage managed a rumpus
around the trial of Hungarian
traitors.

Omitted

"TRYBUNA LDDU"
The maneuvering of imperialist
circles, which is a threat to
international peace and
security, is being resolutely
rebuffed by democratic forces of all

Quoted;
"The maneuvers of imperialist
circles, which are a threat to
the peace and security of the
nations, are encountering[1]
determined resistance from the


[page 9]

"PRAVDA"
"TRYBUNA LUDU"

countries. The masses of the
working people in the East and
the West realize that this time,
too, a reactionary campaign of
slander against the Hungarian .
People's Republic and other
socialist countries is directed
not only against these countries
"but against all progressive
forces in the capitalist
countries as well.

democratic forces of all nations
and countries. The working
masses of the West and East
understand that the slanderous
campaign of the reactionaries
against the Hungarian People's
Republic is this time aimed not
only at these countries, but
also at all the progressive
forces in the capitalist
countries.

"Certain adversaries of unity of
all democratic forces", the
French "L'Humanite" writes--
"unity which is essential to
defeat fascism - have seized on
the BUDAPEST verdict, a purely
domestic matter of Hungary, as
an excuse for their own actions.
But nothing can justify these
maneuvers which play into the
hands of the enemies of the
republic."

Exposing the Western powers[1]
attempts- to use the present
situation for wrecking the
possibility of summit talks, "L'Humanite"
points out: "It is commonly
known that the Western powers
have long since been averse to
negotiating with the Soviet
Union. This new pretext only
adds to the long list of just
as false pretexts."

Palmiro,TOGLIATTI, general
secretary of the Italian Communist
Party, commenting on the
sentence passed on the Imre Nagy
clique, said in an interview with
Paese SERA! "In spite of the
defeat sustained in 1956, the
United States-led so-called
Western bloc is still putting
forward as its demand and
principal objective the destruction
of the people's and socialist
system of government in the East
European countries, beginning
with Hungary.

There is still not the slightest
sign of relaxation in this field;

Omitted

[page 10]

PRAVDA"
TRYBUNA LUDU"

Consequently, those who are
clamoring about the sentences
passed in BUDAPEST are hypocrites,
for quite a number of them have
not only always welcomed the
struggle for the destruction of
people's and socialist government
but have, perhaps, had a hand in
it themselves."

The British "Daily Worker,"
commenting on the campaign of
slander in the West writes: "The
active workers in the British
labor movement should not be
misled by this trickery. It is
a good thing that the traitors,
the reactionaries and the
fascists were defeated 'in Hungary.
The world is a more peaceful
place because the Hungarian
democracy still stands."

Omitted

The progressive press in the
capitalist countries, while
laying bare the reactionary
maneuvers, is urging the
working people to be vigilant and
ready to repulse any attempt
at deceiving the peoples and
leading them astray from
solving the most important problem
of the day, that of Warding off
the danger of a nuclear war and
strengthening the peace of the
world.

"Quoted":

"While unmasking the maneuvers
of reaction the progressive
press of the capitalist
countries appeals to the working
masses to be alert and ready to
repel any attempts to cheat the
nations and to drive them away
from solving today's most
important task - preventing the
danger of atomic war and
consolidating peace throughout
the world.   

Public opinion in the socialist
countries is unanimous in
supporting the fair sentence
passed on the traitors to the
Hungarian people. This
support is yet another indication
of the unbreakable unity with
which all the socialist
countries helped the Hungarian
people defeat the
counterrevolution and continue
successfully building socialism
in the Hungarian People's
Republic.

Omitted

The nations of the camp of
socialism are equally
unanimous in rejecting the intrigues
of the imperialist forces which

Quoted:
"the countries of the socialist
camp reject with the same
unanimity the plots of the
imperialist forces which are

[page 11]

"PRAVEA"
"TRYBUNA LUDU"

Jeopardize international peace
and security.
endangering peace and the
security of nations."

"The American imperialists who
are engaged in-a criminal
aggression against Lebanon and
Indonesia, and are flatly
refusing to hold a summit
conference, "the "People's Daily"
writes, "are making shameless
attacks on the socialist
countries and sympathizing with
the Imre Nagy clique. This is
in itself most cogent proof of
the true meaning of the Imre
Nagy clique's
counter-revolutionary uprising."

Omitted

The Soviet Union and all
countries of the socialist camp
have been exposing and will
expose the enemies of peace and
all-those who, by resorting to
slander and the false signboard
of "anti-Communism", are
attempting to interfere in the
affairs of other countries, to
sow the seeds of enmity and
hatred between the peoples and
to fan the "cold war".

Loyal as she is to the
principles of the Leninist policy of
international peace, the Soviet
Union, in common with the other
countries of the socialist camp,
will continue to do everything
in her power to strengthen
international security, reduce
international tension, and insure the
peace of the world.

Quoted:
"Pravda" concludes by saying:
The Soviet Union and all
countries of the socialist camp have
unmasked and will continue to
unmask the enemies of
peace -- the people who through slander
and the false standard of
'anti-Communism' are trying to
interfere, in the internal
affairs of other countries, to
sow hatred and hostility among
nations and to launch 'a cold
war'. The Soviet Union,
faithful to the principles of
Leninist policy and peace among
nations, together with all the
countries of the socialist
camp, will continue to do
everything within its power to
consolidate international
security, reduce international
tension and to ensure peace
throughout the world."

End

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