IN HUNGARY TODAY

scene as country advances

N air of confidence per-
A vades the present politi-
cal scene in Hungary. Among
those who play leading parts
in forming and applying policy
a modest consciousness of suc-
cess is noticeable.

Workers in industry and on
the land respond to questions
about their present situation
with satisfaction and some
pride. Their situation is im-
proved and awareness of their
own contribution justifies the
satisfaction and pride.

This is a general observation
drawn from a comparison of
conditions as they are today
and what they were on my
last visit six months ago.

My inquiries on this visit
were directed by particular
questions, such as:

What progress in the eco-
nomic sphere is shown in over-
coming the effects of the coun-
ter-revolution?

What is the state of life and
activity in the Hungarian So-
cialist Workers’ party in rela-
tion to the people?

How do the youth, many of
whom were kicking in 1956,
see their position now?

Are those workers who last
year doubted that the Kadar
government would keep its
promises now satisfied?

Where is that “reign of ter-
ror” that the capitalist press
incessantly reports?

3k Ht

Of my own observations I
will put first my conviction
that the Hungarian Socialist
Workers’ party and the govern-
ment are now firmly set on a
socialist road fitting the needs
and conditions of Hungary and
its people.

Comparison with the scene
six months ago shows such
advances as to prove the cor-
rectness of the policy.

A consideration which was

constantly impressed upon my -

mind by what I saw and heard
is that these achievements
could not have been attained
without the hearty coopera-
tion of a great body of work-
ers who are not politically
organised.

By a deliberate act of policy,
the Hungarian Socialist Work-
ers party has a membership
far fewer than that of its pre-
decessor, the Workers’ party.
Success must therefore depend
on winning the confidence and
cooperation of the non-party
masses.

Results shown in the eco-
nomic and political fields jus-
tify the claim to such success.

In general, it can be said
that the advance in real wages
has quickly borne political

Budapest ... the heart of Hungary

fruit. There has also been an socialist consciousness remain-

advance in democratic practice
in the workshop.

The trade unions have
heightened and widened their
activity. Their conception of
their duties extends beyond
the administration and ex-
planation of decisions.

The steady growth in trade
union membership is evidence
of the effectiveness of the
unions’ work. Its total now
equals five times the member-
ship of the Socialist Workers
party.

The Budapest 10 district, the
city’s greatest factory area,
provides an example. Of its
60,000. factory workers 40,000
are trade unionists. That is
more than six times the mem-
bership of the Socialist Work-
ers party in the district.

There is no pressure to join
the union, only the inducement
of the worker’s own interest,
and the obvious advantages of
joining in the organised work
of improving conditions and
raising living standards.

This is strengthened by the
special attention which the
unions are now paying to the
individual problems of the

worker.
OP ease

During my visit in 1957 I
was much exercised by curi-
osity as to how many of the
people I saw and met were
aware of socialist purpose in
their work.

This question cannot be
answered literally in terms of
numbers. With all the com-
radely and personally friendly
help that I received six months
ago—and I am sure that since
the counter-revolution no re-
porter has been more frankly
and freely welcomed and in-
formed—still this question of

ed with me.

My recent visit put me on
the line for an answer. Natur-
ally, it came from the mouths
of workers.

It was a striking experience
to walk unannounced through
a workshop, pause unexpected-
ly at my own choice by a
worker or two at a bench and
begin a discussion.

I shall describe such experi-
ences more fully later: the
point at the moment is aware-
ness of socialist purpose.

When a group was engaged
eagerly in relating of increased
earnings, success in improving
working conditions, methods,
output, I would ask: “Any
party members here?”

Only occasionally was there
even one party member, but
then I would ask: “And who
are socialists?”

I. quote as typical the answer
given by a fitter in an electri-
cal factory in Budapest 10 dis-
trict. “Of course I’m a social-
ist,” he said. “Every working
man must be a socialist. I’ve
been one all my life.”

He reminded me in that mo-
ment of a fact which we may
be liable to forget. The Hun-
garian working class has great
traditions in the historic strug-
gle for socialism.

This worker spoke from ex-
perience of the fight for trade
unionism and socialism in Hun-
gary under capitalism and
fascism.

He had obvious pride in this
knowledge and it must be rec-
ognised that this proletarian
socialist core was in fact the
rock upon which counter-revo-
lution foundered in 1956.

@ This is the first in a series
of reports on Hungary written
by Walter Holmes of the Lon-
don Daily Worker.

: | OPEN FORUM
Air of confidence pervades ‘in the castalst

K. A. STEEVES, Vancouver,
B.C.: If anyone tries to tell you
that the capitalists, are trying
to put the burden of the eco-
nomic crisis on the workers,
don’t believe him. It’s not
true—they’re willing to share
the burden.

Proof of this is the report
that all the top officials of
Chrysler Corporation and all
employees making more than
$10,200 a year are taking a
pay cut. Now it isn’t the sacri-
fice being made by the $10,200-
a-year small fry that perturbs
me. No, it’s the fact that Tex
Colbert, president of Chrysler,
who has been getting a measly
$250,900 a year, will now have
to squeeze by on even less, a
mere pittance of $236,425 a
a year. Only those of your
readers who are in this same
income bracket can appreciate
what this means.

Think of it. Mr. Colbert will
be bearing his share of the
burden of the crisis at a re-
duced salary of some $800 a
day while thousands of his
employees are enjoying their
leisure on unemployment bene-
fits. It’s an outrage against
free enterprise.

But that isn’t all. Think of
the repercussions if this idea
of pay cuts spreads, Naturally
they’ll expect the workers to
follow their splendid example.
But will they themselves fol-
low the workers’ example and
eall a strike to demand their
rights?

Unfortunately, I’m not in a
position to help Mr. Colbert
financially since I have to
exist for a year on what he
gets for one day. But I’m will-
ing to take part in a sympathy
strike. If Mr. Colbert is so
willing to share the burden of
the crisis, I’m just as willing
to share the burden of Chrys-
ler Corporation profits.

The old, old story

H. VIGOR, Kelowna, B.C.:
On. the CBC the other night I
heard Prime Minister Diefen-
baker addressing our top big
businessmen in Montreal and
I thought to myself, it’s the
old, old story.

I harked back to another
Tory prime minister, R. B.
Bennett, who also promised to
end a depression. He was go-
ing to blast his way into the
markets of the world. But
Diefenbaker won’t even blast
loose from the restrictions the
U.S. has placed on our trade
with China so that we can do
business in at least one mar-
ket we can get—if we don’t
wait too long.

It’s the old, old story. For
lo! I shall lead my Canadian
people out of the wilderness
of depression and into a land

June

of milk and honey insomuch
as there be no strikes t0 pe
the cows to dry up 4f the
bees to return empty
hives. And the pusinessme? 4
sang with him in a low e
voice, eager that whose
should hunger, they should i
want and their profits ¥®
glut the land.

Reply to Brown
SOCIALIST YOUTH i
GUE OF CANADA, TOM!
Ont: The following letter ©
sent from the Socialist 0 4
League of Canada to H. ¢: af
Brown, secretary-treasure’
the Canadian School Ta
Association. It has to do :
the remarks made by hit
convention of the Assoclé te
High School Boards &% “ig
ario, in which he ureet ith
formation of a national ft

: ine?
organization taking the on

‘that were built in Hitler

many and fascist Italy-

Dear Sir:
of our organization prov” i
remarks attributed to ¥° the
the daily press regardiné yt
formation of a national ¥ of
organization along the jin ip
the Nazi youth moveme out!
Germany or the Fascls
movement in Italy. a

The standards of peli
and conduct of these ore oh
tions which you seem 1 ip
up as a shining examp© aft
model for Canadian YOU) i
only too well remem?
from the last war.

Could not your tim
prestige serve a greatel ©
pose for the young peda {0
this country if you W® apt
fight for better schools
greater educational opp? api
ties, more scholarshiP® _ ‘of
access to the universit!
all deserving students? jf

The discipline provi ve
schools is not going . off
solved by trying to 2° 08
the students, or for?
groups of “bully boys
Hitler and Mussolini HO sg!

Out organization fee yi
one of the best way? ow
question can be met Is mite

4
e #

viding recreational 1°) ¢
to occupy their spare # 1 of”
jon4

well as greater educat «tv
portunities so that 9 gf
dents, regardless of thell "9
ents’ financial positio™ yo
further their education i ade
versities, and technic®” _ li
tutes, and that the onl¥ —
fications should be ac@! nis

It seems to us that * 0
the problem the es, i?
trustees should be comune af
grips with, and in this orth
you could be doing 2 ” if
service to our count! We
stead of a disservice PY se”
ing your eyes to the pre ull
and blaming it on the
people.

953 —_ PA