“The Hungarian Soviet repudiates all threats which render the members of the Government responsible for events which are the internal affairs of the country.” He appealed to the “friendly feelings testified by Italy towards the Soviet” and expressed his doubt whether Italy could be the protector of “gangs of assassins who, in the interest of the Counter-revolution had intended to murder women and children and exterminate the Jews” and who had been sentenced by judges of the Soviet “according to their own laws.” Számuelly goes on hanging people in the provinces, but in Budapest the execution on the Octogon was prevented by the manly and determined attitude of the colonel. But while Italy saves a few lives with one hand, what action does she take with the other? Why does Italy refuse to know who Béla Kun is and what it means in the eyes of Hungary that he can boast of his friendship with Italy and that the Red army can proclaim “We are smashing the Counter-revolution with Italian guns and Italian arms?” It is said that the pearls from the lovely white necks of Hungarian women go abroad, and that fine thoroughbreds are driven from the Hungarian prairies in exchange for guns sent to exterminate us. If this is true, there will be no blessing on the exchange. Spilt blood will ooze out from under the pearls and from under the hoofs of the horses. CHAPTER XIII _June 28th._ The Counter-revolution has been beaten everywhere. The power of the Dictators seems never to have been greater. When they first came they had to share their power with the trade-unions, the Soldiers’ Council, the ‘confidential men,’ the Peasants’ and Workers’ Councils and later on with the National Soviet. Within three months they have freed themselves of all these. First of all the peasants disappeared as a deciding factor. They were followed by the ‘confidential men’ and these by the Soldiers’ Council. The Workmen’s Council was reduced to a shadow, the trade-unions were transformed and subdued, the Soviet was sent home, and of the remnant of these three they made a dummy, the ‘Economic Council,’ in whose hands the new constitution was placed. The beginning and the end of this Constitution is the domination of their race over the ruins of the destroyed power of the State. The edifice of tyranny has been perfected. All means and all power are in its hands. It has absolute sway over life and death. Law-giver, executive, judge, gaoler and executioner, all in one.