Editorial Note

At his news conference on February 10, President Truman stated that Secretary of State Acheson’s statement regarding the trial of Cardinal Mindszenty (page 461) had his entire approval. The President characterized the court that tried the Cardinal a “kangaroo court”. He observed that a police state existed in Hungary, and the Hungarian people were not responsible for the actions of their government. He also said that the possibility that the trial had been a violation of the Hungarian Peace Treaty was being studied. For text of the news conference, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Harry S. Truman, 1949 (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1964) pages 130–133.