Inside Hungary [antikvár]

Handkissing and BridgeMr Richard 0?Regan writing in the New York HeraldTribune (July 27, 1962) began his picture of Hungarywith the statement: "Handkissing and bridge havecome back to Communist Hungary." Then he went onto say, "While I was in Budapest, one of the biggestevents of the week was an outdoor fashion show butthe height of the evening was a description of the latestFrench make-up techniques." Since Mr O'Regan wasonly in Budapest for a short period of time, he did nothave the opportunity to examine other questions, whichin our opinion might be more important, but it is nota bad thing that at least Mr O'Regan reported objec-tively on what he saw.We, of course, see the events in our own home,whether they be large or small, in a different light thanour guests, who are really not "insiders," in other wordsare not people who live and work here, but only stopover for a short visit.The editorial of The Times (January 30, 1962), re-ferring to a group of articles on Hungary that appearedin the London Survey, challenges one to violent dis-agreement. Though it admits that " the picture is notentirely black," it concludes that "The general picture is of a nation being successfully wooed by its rulerswith the material benefits of life, but showing few moresigns than before of 'confirming to an alien discipline'."Why "alien discipline?" Why the verbal "confirming?"But a much better way than arguing, is to speak of thepicture itself, which, according to The Times, is "notentirely black." This way perhaps the use of argumentsbecomes unimportant; let the facts speak in place ofargument.