From the S&S archives: Hungary Reds cut off exit visas

BUDAPEST — Hungary's puppet government slammed down the Iron Curtain with a bang Thursday on a helpless nation still struggling weakly for freedom.

Government sources said the cabinet of Premier Janos Kadar had decided not to issue any more passports or exit visas.

At the same time, refugees reported Russian infantry laying minefields again along the Austrian frontier across which 96,000 Hungarians have fled to freedom since Oct. 28.

The government decision on passports canceled out a report published by the Hungarian Army newspaper last week. The newspaper had announced that passports would be issued to any Hungarian who obtained a foreign visa and a written invitation to go abroad.

Even Hungarians who hold passports will not be able to gel them revalidated, the government decided. Under Hungarian law, a passport had to be revalidated after each trip out of the country.

The rigid ruling represented a return to the inflexible Stalinist line which the East European satellites had hoped was gone forever.

Before the Hungarian revolt, the government lifted the Iron Curtain for thousands of elderly citizens who had relations in the West. It was part of the general easing of controls that followed the death of Stalin.

Now even that small concession to the individual's right to freedom of movement appeared to be ended.

In accordance with the same tension-easing policy, Hungarian frontier guards had dug up minefields that blew scores of would-be refugees to bits along Hungary's 220-mile frontier with neutral Austria.

Only the absence of mines enabled the thousands of post revolution refugees to avoid mass casualties in their break for freedom. Now the mines were going back into place in an attempt to succeed where Russian soldiers failed in stemming the flood of men, women and children who had had enough of Communist tyranny.

The refugees reported the Russian minelayers most active in the region of Rechnitz, 60 miles southeast of Vienna. .

Already Russian patrol activity was so intense, that only 3,700 refugees crossed into Austria during the past 24 hours. A week ago the 24-hour total averaged 10,000.

In a further attempt to cut short the mass rush of refugees out of the country, the government announced an amnesty, but said it would be valid only for refugees who escaped between Oct. 23 and midnight Thursday.

It meant that any refugees who cross into Austria after the midnight deadline would be liable to arrest if they ever returned to Hungary.

The amnesty for refugees was approved by the government Wednesday and became effective Thursday. A Radio Budapest announcement said the government had decided to extend it to all refugees who return before March 31, 1957. In its first draft, the amnesty was to be valid only until Jan., 1.

Coupled with the amnesty in the attempt to get back the fleeing population was the government demand to Austria to help in repatriating "thousands" of children who fled after Russia crushed the Hungarian uprising.

The Hungarian note, delivered Wednesday, charged that "counter-revolutionaries" had induced the children to flee. It promised no action would be taken against the children if they returned.

The Austrian government estimated the number of refugee children below 18 years of age on its hands at around 45,000. The Austrians said they would need to study the Hungarian note carefully before deciding what to reply.

Workers' leaders warned Thursday night that Hungary will be plunged into "total anarchy" If Kadar continues to reject worker demands.

Spokesmen for the Central Workers Council of Greater Budapest issued the warning shortly before starting a new round of talks with the puppet premier.

"We are the last legal body which can solve the situation peacefully," a council spokesman said. "If we fail there will be a spontaneous strike throughout the country and we will not be able to control the workers.

"Total anarchy will follow."