Hungarian Statesmen Speak on Government’s Racial, Religious Policy

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

The views of Admiral Horthy, Regent of Hungary, on the background of the numerus clausus, and of Prime Minister Bethlen on the question of religious prejudice were aired at two public functions at which the Hungarian Government leaders spoke.

Admiral Horthy, in an address he delivered before the Peasants’ Congress, now in session here, disclosed what might be termed the motive of the numerus clausus policy, although he mentioned neither the numerus clausus nor the Jewish question in Hungary.

Horthy laid great emphasis on the alleged over crowding in the free professions in the country. There is, he stated, an overproduction of intellectuals, leading to a situation where there are many doctors and few patients, many lawyers and a dearth of clients.

Simultaneously, however, the Regent appealed to the peasant delegates to bring the gospel of education to the village. The peasants, he stated, should not limit the education of their sons and daughters merely to the elementary schools, but rather see to it that the gifted sons of the village obtain a university education. “We need the unadulterated, reliable patriotism of the peasants,” he declared.

In an after dinner speech delivered at a banquet held at Debrecen, Prime Minister Count Bethlen told his audience that “religions antagonism does not grow on Hungarian soil.”

After the revalution and the war, great anti-Semitic disturbances occurred, it is true. These however, were merely a reaction to the war and revolution. The Prime Minister related an ancedoce which characterizes the “search for the Jew” that dominated those days.

A sergeant in the army grouped the new recruits according to their religion. There were a few of the recruits who declared they belonged to no religion, being “Konfessionslose,”

“Choose a religion for yourselves or otherwise I will put you in the Jewish group,” the sergeant commanded.

Then, Count Bethlen continued, the Communists and the revolutionary elements, as “Konfessionslose”, were put among the Jews and were beatem without distinction.

This state of mind is disappearing. “I do recognize teh Jewish question as a social and economic one and will not permit it being made a religions issue,” the Prime Minister declared.

Bish?p Bahamar, who was the next speaker, remarked that be was not inclined to accept anti-Semitism either in its social or economic form.