Editorial Note
In a statement issued to the press on May 18, the Department of State commented upon the Hungarian parliamentary election of May 15, 1949. The Department observed that the freedom of political opinion, one of the fundamental freedoms specified in the Hungarian Peace Treaty, had not been protected by the Hungarian Government either in the electoral campaign or in the election itself. The Department further observed that the Hungarian Communist leadership had again drawn the world’s attention to the totalitarian character of their regime and their flagrant violations of Hungary’s obligation under the peace treaty to secure to the Hungarian people the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. For the text of the statement, see Department of State Bulletin, May 29, 1949, pages 697–698.