KIMOUAHDUM FOU: Chief, International Organl rations Division
Coxments on RKK Broadcasting to Hungary,ctober -
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1. One cannot listen to Hungarian broadcasts for about four weeks without forming personal impressions which go beyond the questions which you asked ae specifically to answer. annot Judge whether mine will be of any value to you, but for what they are worth here they are.
broadcasts end role ofo not believecommentary on RFE is impartial. In the first place, religionalmost exclusively in connection with the release of If my memory serves correctly, tho Catholic-Protestant ratiois- Certainly if RFB is to be impartial, itminorities aa well as the majority. let there were broadcasts ofMasses,hole hour, with no similar broadcast ofor Jewish cervices. True, once or twice during the time Iwere reports of news items concerning Protestant leaders, but theee One of the outstanding religious leaders in Hungary, for example,Bishop Iadislaus Ravasz of the Reformed Church, whoatter ofan honorary Doctor of Divinity from and delivered an importantlectures at thr Theological Seminary in Lancaster, Pa. Itto assume that he and other Protestant leaders were alaothese momentous days.
orollary, the role of the church in the villages has not been emphasized adequately in RFE broadcasts, whichoint of appealing to ths village populations. tudent inpent ay summersillage. The church, of all denominations, represented the center of aost activities in the village. The priest or pastor alwaysominant role in the life of tha village. True, Coaxunists are against religion, but, if the battle is against Communists and all they stand for, it Is all the acre imperative to restore the important role of religion, not only Catholic, but all forms of religion to emphasize freedom of religion.
Commentators. To ae the aost impressive of the RFE commentators
is Janus, who was generally cala and logical. Botarlus seemed good in his field. Colonel Bell in military affairs and Agrariua in his are both evidently men of wide background. Colonel Bellendency to veer into emotional political
commentary au well. Tlbor Sebokine voice and is lucid. ccasionally is almost hysterical, hindering his own effectiveness. Laszlo Lovas and Jozsef Molnir seen adequate, though the latter alsoendency to get excited. Vasvmrlood reporter, as is alao Begyi.
I do not wish to leave this subjectew general comments on the way comments were made and what was said. It is my personal opinion that the unidentified voices of exhortation are not effective. Some of these exhortations are:
"With murderers there is no peace. Repeal martial law immediately."
ero is responsible for blood in the streets. Bring him tohe most deplorable of these are the twoeard of "the black voice." In one, this sepulchral, highly emotional voice urges that "people should note down everything and remember. Women and children are being murdered. Take pen in hand and note everything for the black book!" In another, it says "the rats have come out of the sewers, grinning in back of Soviet tanks. Continue writing the black book!" ould like to know who will be Influenced by such comments. They left mead taste in my mouth, like ancommercial on our television. There is no dignity to this kind of approach.
k. The role of the intellectual. There seemed to ae to be inadequate appeal to the intellectual in RFE broadcasts. Hungaryagnificentwith many other fine and stirring writers than Petofi, Ady and the modern Ho vat h. True,ovember inhere wasood literary program in memory of the martyrs of the battle for freedom. But thisequiem. Surely, there is much more in the way of positive appeal that RFE could do: ask writers to speak, quote from books, poems, put on plays (onctober Inn the Boy Scout program there was an excellent play called "The Littleanel discussions by writerstudents, etc. There Just did not seem to be enough of an appeal to the intellectuals, yet theyroup in the fore of the revolution.
role of women. Similarly, women are neglected in RFEthey have bad and will have an important role in Hungary's history. There
oman announcer, but that Is notean. leading Hungarian women should be asked to deliver speeches. For example, could not Anna Kethly have been requested toroadcast, or llona Kassey, etc.
The comments above are intended to be constructive. my firm belief that there is no need to defend the activities of RFShistorical days. ould say that we may be proud of whatand wish It could have done more. When one observes the tragedyharacteristic not limited to themhat they area common foe, but are divided when they are left alone, oneimmense problem in backing the right group. When there are noto be fought, Hungarians fight among themselves. To me theand significant development in Hungary's recent history as reflected by
these broadcasts is the news that the last Hagy government emphasized its desire for neutrality. ungarian to be neutral in anything, is inictory over the impossible, neutrality, or impartialityole recommended for HFB.
CIA
Original document.
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